Highway 395 project causing headaches for drivers. Traffic to get worse before it’s done
As crews are nearing the finish line on the Highway 395 and Ridgeline Drive underpass, they’re finding new hurdles to overcome.
Still, the $22.5 million project, which began in early 2021, is expected to be completed in October.
The project includes an underpass on Ridgeline and new on- and off-ramps, as well as a new northbound lane from Ridgeline to Hildebrand Boulevard and new turn lanes at Hidlebrand.
As the Tri-Cities breaks records for prolonged heat at or above 100 degrees, construction crews are having to adjust.
Project Superintendent Mike Fletcher told the Herald that concrete work needs temperatures of about 80 degrees, so they’re having to shift work to stay on track until daytime temperatures are more cooperative.
Concrete setting at higher temperatures is more likely to have deformities, set too quickly to be smoothed properly and has been found to be structurally weaker as it doesn’t fully hydrate during the process, according to the Portland Cement Association.
Because industrial concrete takes up to two days to dry and continues to cure indefinitely, it’s not just a matter of being able to pour in the early morning hours before the temperatures get too high.
Washington Department of Transportation spokesperson Conny Garcia Gaitan said crews have managed to remain on track for the projected finish this fall.
“As of right now there has been no delays due to the high summer temperatures on the US 395 Ridgeline construction,” she said. “While temperatures can affect the concrete, our crews have been meeting the specifications needed and work has been continuous.”
“With continual high temperatures, it is possible the supplier may not be able to produce concrete that meets specifications, but ultimately it is their responsibility to meet the specification,” she said. “Crews have actually been working consistently since winter and have been working through spring and all of this summer.”
As the construction reaches the final stages, motorists heading between West 27th Avenue and the Highway 395/Interstate 82 interchange can expect more congestion.
Currently the major delays are heading south on that route as traffic nears Hildebrand, but as construction begins on the final stretches, motorists can expect both directions to see construction delays.
This story was originally published August 25, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
