Last week The Leader reported on State Route 104 and the huge number of accidents on this dangerous stretch of road west of the Hood Canal Bridge. It also detailed the continuing delays to the safety …
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Last week The Leader reported on State Route 104 and the huge number of accidents on this dangerous stretch of road west of the Hood Canal Bridge. It also detailed the continuing delays to the safety improvements stretching back four years.
In the wake of that report, Washington State Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar has written to assure that this project will move forward as quickly as possible. We are publishing his letter here in full.
Good morning,
In 2024, WSDOT will deliver a safety improvement project in Jefferson County on State Route 104 at the intersections of SR 19 and Paradise Bay/Shine Road. The design phase of the project is wrapping up and the project will go to bid in January 2024. WSDOT is advancing this project forward as quickly as possible and the project is anticipated to begin construction in spring 2024.
As with any project, the actual start of construction can change for a number of reasons outside of our control including material delays, staffing issues and weather. This project experienced a significant design delay in 2021 after heavy rains hit the peninsula, triggering landslides that blocked State Route 101, 112 and 113 in multiple locations and cut off access to communities. The same office that was overseeing the design of the SR 104 safety improvement projects managed the emergency repairs on SR 112.
Once a contractor is selected and the project begins, our region communications team and project office will provide updates on the construction start date and what travelers can expect during construction.
Safety is a priority at our agency. Target Zero is our state highway safety plan, which aims to have zero deaths and zero serious injuries by 2030. It’s a bold vision and it guides everything we do. We regularly look at our state highway system to find ways to reduce fatal and serious crashes. Over the next several years, we have many projects that will construct roundabouts at intersections on our state highways. This project on SR 104 in Jefferson County is one of many such projects.
Thank you,
Roger Millar, PE, FASCE, FAICP
Secretary of Transportation
