I-90 repairs to finish early

Drivers will rejoice in a little more than a week when work wraps up on the Interstate 90 viaduct in downtown Spokane – about a month ahead of schedule.

Sullivan Road work in Spokane Valley is expected to be complete by late today or early Saturday – a few days ahead of deadline.

The downtown I-90 viaduct and all downtown exits and on-ramps could be open as soon as Aug. 6, with some lanes and ramps opening sooner.

The Washington State Department of Transportation gave contractor Degerstrom/Acme Joint Venture 95 days to finish the viaduct project, but the company is expecting to finish in 80.

Excellent construction weather was a key component in the early finish, said WSDOT spokesman Al Gilson.

Had bad weather prevented work on any given day, the company would have had an extra day added to the end of the schedule.

That’s why the department said the viaduct work could stretch to Sept. 15.

“That was the drop-dead-have-to-be-off-the-road date,” Gilson said.

As it is, the contractor didn’t even need the full 95 days, so the state is paying the company a $50,000 bonus.

The I-90 ramps at Sullivan and Sullivan Road between Mission and Indiana avenues were scheduled to reopen on Monday, but will now reopen late today or early Saturday.

“Traffic moved really well,” Gilson said of the detours over to Evergreen Road.

By closing Sullivan Road completely for about three weeks, the state was able to avoid closing it intermittently over several months.