Interchange Work Goes On Despite Heat

Work on the new interchange at Evergreen is on schedule despite searing heat.

Harcon Inc., a Spokane construction company, was awarded the $11.2 million bid last September to construct the interchange, which will hook Evergreen Road to Interstate 90 and the Spokane Valley Mall.

The project is on schedule to finish by Thanksgiving and the hot weather shouldn’t slow down work too much, said construction superintendent Marty Weber.

The heat, which in the past week reached the high 90s, has made laying concrete a bit tricky. A special retardant has to be added to slow down the process so that it doesn’t cure too quickly.

“Normally, we attempt to schedule (concrete) pours early in the morning,” Weber said.

Crews have been drinking between two and three times as much water as normal to stay hydrated, he said.

Al Gilson, spokesman for the Department of Transportation, said he hasn’t heard that the heat has slowed down any other projects in the area.

Other ongoing construction projects around the Valley next week include:

* Testing of the pavement near the I-90 Evergreen interchange will mean occasional lane closures for westbound traffic today . One travel lane will remain open, but drivers should expect slow traffic in the area.

There will also be daily lane closures for eastbound I-90 traffic at the Sprague Avenue interchange.

Night lane restrictions will continue to slow traffic along I-90 at Park Road.

* Roadway and paving work will be under way on Fancher Road south of Sprague Avenue. The work will cause lane restrictions and delays.

* Repaving work along Highway 27 is more or less complete, according to Gilson. There’s still some minor work being done along the shoulders, but motorists won’t experience any major lane closures.

* Chip sealing projects will be under way next week in the southern part of the Spokane Valley. Portions of Belmont and Jackson roads near the town of Mica will be chip sealed Monday and Tuesday. Thursday, Madison Road will be chip sealed from the Palouse Highway to Dishman-Mica.

Motorists should expect slower speeds.

* University Road will remain closed until fall while crews work to widen and add sewers to the stretch between Main and Mission avenues.

The closure will effect the Broadway intersection which will remain closed during construction. Detours are in place.

* Construction along Evergreen Road has closed the road to all through traffic until November from Sprague to Mission. The Broadway intersection remains open, although motorists should expect lane closures.

* Work continues on the Valley Couplet parallel to Sprague Avenue. Motorists should expect flaggers on Park Road from Sprague to Fourth avenues.

First Avenue from Thierman to Park Road, and Lewis Road from Sprague Avenue to Second Avenue will also be under construction, with rough road surfaces slowing down traffic.

* Sullivan Road is under construction between 16th and 32nd. The stretch between 16th and Saltese Road is often down to one lane during working hours.