ROAD REPORT: Paving crews head north on SR 17

MOSES LAKE — The big asphalt paving machines are making the turn north at the intersection of State Route 17 and South Pioneer Way.

The seven miles of SR 17 where it goes through Moses Lake are being resurfaced, a project that is projected for completion in July. Paving crews have resurfaced the section from the Interstate 90 overpass to the South Pioneer Way intersection. 

The crews work from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and drivers traveling through the construction zone during work hours can expect some delays and flagger-controlled traffic. 

Construction crews have been working on road projects for about two months — longer, in some cases — and some are starting to get close to completion. 

The first phase of construction on Road 9 Northwest between Dodson Road and State Route 283 is done, and drivers are urged to slow down until the second phase is finished.

The road is being resurfaced with chip seal, which is a layer of asphalt and rock applied to the existing surface. Grant County Engineer Dave Bren said crews will be coming back in about two weeks to add a second layer and brush off the loose rocks.

In the meantime, loose rocks remain on the road, with the potential to go flying if drivers are driving too fast. That section has reduced speed limits, which are posted.

“It’s getting so close (to completion),” Bren said.

Repairs on a section of Road 12 Southeast also are nearing completion. An irrigation canal break April 17 washed out and closed the road near its intersection with Road C.8 Southeast, between Royal City and Othello. 

It wasn’t just the damage to the road that caused the problem, Bren said.

“There were 300 feet of guardrail that was blown out,” he said.

Replacing the guardrail required rebuilding the shoulder and reinstalling the posts, which must be sunk into the ground six to eight feet to provide the required stability, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The guardrail was required to ensure safe travel, he said. 

“Guardrail is something that takes a long time to do,” Bren said.

In addition, since the damage was caused by an irrigation canal failure, the Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District paid for the repairs. County officials can’t spend county money to pay for damage caused by someone else, Bren said, so the roadwork had to wait until the QCBID paid for the work.

“There’s a process,” Bren said.

The road should be reopened within the next 10 days to two weeks, he said.

Construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Road 12 Southwest and Dodson Road has been delayed until 2025. County officials are still working on acquiring rights-of-way from property owners, Bren said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.