$3.6 million project to bring bike lanes, sidewalk to local street. Expect delays this week
Work on the 38th Avenue improvement project enters a new phase this week.
Gig Harbor drivers can expect delays while engineers are out on the road daily this week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Friday, associate engineer Stephanie Seibel told the Gateway Tuesday morning.
“The work will require one-lane road closures to navigate traffic around the boring equipment. Flaggers will be used to control traffic around the equipment,” Public Works Director Jeff Langhelm told the Gateway Monday night.
This week’s work is a smaller design assignment, with further construction to take place at a later date.
“Specifically this week the city’s engineering consultant will be performing geotechnical borings to get a good picture of what the underlying soils consist of,” Langhlem said.
The larger construction effort is meant to increase pedestrian safety and bicycle access, according to the road work announcement on the city’s Facebook page.
“The entire project involves the installation of street frontage improvements along the east side of 38th Avenue between 56th Street and Hunt Street,” Langhelm said.
The final project “consists of adding bike lanes, sidewalk, planter strip, and pedestrian lighting on the east side of the roadway between 56th Street and Hunt Street. The project will also be providing new curb and gutters, curb ramps, and associated utility coordination for relocations,” the road work announcement said.
Design work will continue throughout 2023.
“Depending on funding, we may begin construction in late 2023 or in 2024 with construction estimated to be complete in 2024,” Langhelm said.
The entire project is currently estimated to cost $3.6 million.
“Depending on material and labor costs, or any alternatives and requests to install facilities beyond the minimum standards, the final project may cost more,” Langhelm said.
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
