Ribbon cut on Northeast 10th Avenue bridge over Whipple Creek
450-foot-long span expected to open to traffic in next few weeks
By Andy Matarrese, Columbian
environment and transportation reporter
Published: December 18, 2018, 6:20pm
Share:
5 Photos
Local officials and community members gather Tuesday for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the new bridge that will carry traffic on Northeast 10th Avenue over Whipple Creek south of the fairgrounds. (Alisha Jucevic/The Columbian)Photo Gallery
Clark County staff, contractors, elected officials and community members gathered Tuesday south of Ridgefield to commemorate a new bridge over Whipple Creek, which will tie together Northeast 10th Avenue between Northeast 154th and 164th streets once it opens to traffic in the next few weeks.
County Public Works Director Ahmad Qayoumi said the stretch has been part of the county’s list of arterial roads in need of support for some time, largely because there aren’t many north-south roadways in the area, especially around the Clark County Fairgrounds and the growing neighborhoods south of Ridgefield.
For many drivers, the most convenient access was the 179th Street interchange from Interstate 5, he said.
The 450-foot-long bridge stands about 48 feet above Whipple Creek, adding shoulders to Northeast 10th Avenue in places where there weren’t any, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and stormwater runoff facilities, according to the county, along with roadway improvements beyond the span.
“It provides a good connection from north to south so you don’t constantly have to take I-5 and the interchange,” Qayoumi said.
A related project, which will make improvements along Northeast 10th Avenue from Northeast 149th to 154th streets, is scheduled to start in 2020, according to the county.
Qayoumi said the project is among the biggest bridge projects the county government has seen, by scale and cost. The entire project cost around $23.4 million, according to Troy Pierce, the county’s project manager.
Cascade Bridge of Vancouver built the bridge, after getting the county’s $14.62 million contract. The county said Cascade Bridge’s bid was the lowest from eight different bidders, and $1.54 million lower than the county’s original estimate.
The county received $2.84 million in federal grants, through the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council, to pay for the bridge, along with a $4.8 million state loan through the Public Works Board.
Construction started in mid-May 2017. The bridge still needs a few finishing touches, including a sidewalk, railings and lane markings before it opens. The county says the bridge is built to last 75 to 100 years.
Clark County Councilor Julie Olson hailed the bridge as a new means to better connect the northern and southern parts of the county.
“When the amphitheater is sold out with concerts and we’ve got ways to get in and out that we don’t have today, my phone will be more quiet, I’m sure,” she joked.
The project has been in the works for years, and was followed with interest by community members and local politicians.
“Plus, it just gives these folks a lot easier mode of transportation to get to Ridgefield, as well,” said Ridgefield Mayor Don Stose, smiling. “And to hopefully come into our city and spend some money.”
Pierce said county planners predict the stretch will see an average daily traffic volume of 5,600 vehicles, when the surrounding area is fully developed.
Public Works spokesman Jeff Mize said while the bridge may mean a new route for event traffic coming to and from the fairgrounds and amphitheater, but not necessarily right away.
The site’s conditional use permit would have to be modified to allow traffic control for large events to direct vehicles that way, he said, and altering that permit would require a review by a hearings examiner.
Morning Briefing Newsletter
Get a rundown of the latest local and regional news every Mon-Fri morning.
