Driving on state Route 16 could be a little tricky later this month, given a state Department of Transportation project to replace a damaged bridge girder.

A year ago, the girder on the west side of the Olympic Drive NW overpass on SR 16 was damaged beyond repair when it was struck by a semi hauling a forklift. WSDOT soon will begin to replace that girder.

A Jan. 11 pre-construction meeting will determine the exact start date of the project, WSDOT spokesperson Kelly Stowe said.

“We are scheduled to be open to traffic by March 23, so that would be a mid-January start date,” she said.

Gig Harbor has been communicating with WSDOT for about a year on the project, city project manager Marcos McGraw said, noting plans originally called for construction to take place in November and December, which could have adversely impacted area businesses during the holiday season.

WSDOT plans to post weekly traffic advisories before and during the project.

Projected costs, including design, construction, traffic control and sales tax, are about $795,000, Stowe said.

“We are seeking recovery from the third party,” she said, referencing the fact that the trucking company likely will end up paying for the work under the state’s third-party liability rules. 

Meanwhile, Gig Harbor plans to replace a section of Point Fosdick Drive NW, from Olympic Drive to 56th Street NW, and 56th Street from Point Fosdick Drive to Olympic Drive. McGraw said the project is expected to begin on May 21 and continue into summer 2013.

The current two-lane roadway will be reconstructed as two through lanes with a designated center turn lane. New amenities will include sidewalks on each side with a curb and gutter, planter strips, underground storm drainage, decorative street lighting and overhead utilities — power, telephone and cable — relocated underground.

“Any roadway construction has an impact on traffic,” McGraw said. “Ultimately, it will be a great benefit for the area.

“It will also benefit traffic at the Olympic Drive interchange with Highway 16,” he added. “It will provide one more through route to go from that interchange around the Olympic Drive section that becomes very congested.”

McGraw said Point Fosdick Drive originally was part of what was designated as state Route 14 during the time of the Mosquito Fleet and went all the way down to the water. The Mosquito Fleet was a large number of private transportation companies which ran smaller passenger and freight boats on Puget Sound and nearby waterways and rivers during the later part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.

Point Fosdick Drive is an old concrete panel highway that’s worn out since it was put in during the 1950s, McGraw said, adding that 56th Street is supporting more traffic than it was designed to handle.

The bulk of the funding for the $4.2 million project will come from a city-secured $2.6 million state grant via the Transportation Improvement Board, an independent state agency created by the Legislature to distribute and manage street construction and maintenance grants statewide. Other funding will come from city traffic impact fees and a contribution from the developer.

The project was awarded TIB funding due to its “construction ready” status. McGraw said that means the project has all of the necessary permits and design plans set.

“It’s basically an old set of plans from 2006 that have been brought up to current standards,” he said. “We do have a plan set to work from. The only thing lacking was funds.”

Two public meetings are scheduled to provide citizens with information about the project:

* Jan. 25: Residents and other interested parties are invited to attend from 6 to 8 p.m. at city council chambers at the Gig Harbor Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St.

* Feb. 2: Business owners and property owners are invited to attend from 6 to 8 p.m. at city council chambers at the civic center.

Reporter Brett Davis can be reached at 253-853-9243 or by email at brett.davis@gateline.com.