Summer’s end approaches, but roadwork continues

MOSES LAKE — Summer is winding down, but road construction season still has a couple more months to go – something drivers will have to keep in mind when school starts next week.  

Sections of A Street Northeast and Jackrabbit Street Northeast in Quincy remain closed for construction.  

The intersection of A Street Northeast and Third Street Northeast is closed and will remain closed through late September, according to a city of Quincy media release. The entire intersection is closed, with traffic restrictions beginning at Second Avenue Northeast, B Street Northeast and Division Street Southeast. Only local traffic is allowed in the restricted areas. 

The construction zone extends from Third Avenue to Sixth Avenue Northeast, and along Sixth Avenue Northeast to B Street Northeast. The road will be repaved, with sidewalks added on one side of the street and a guardrail between the street and the railroad tracks on the other side.  

The construction zone at Jackrabbit Street Northeast starts a few yards past Quincy High School. Although the student parking lot is accessible, the intersection at Sixth Avenue Northeast is closed. Drivers trying to get to QHS from the east will run into a detour at Columbia Way.  

Crews are working on upgrading both the street and the underground utilities. Improving the road is one of the requirements for two separate housing developments under construction on either side of the road. The road is being widened and repaved with sidewalks, curbs and gutters added.  

Upgrades to the utilities are being paid for by the city of Quincy. City officials decided it would be cheaper to put in new water and sewer mains while the road was being rebuilt. Infrastructure for water reclamation is being installed as well. Cost of the utility upgrades is about $1.9 million. 

Some projects, due to their nature, are immune to changing seasons. Replacement of the Hansen Road overpass west of Moses Lake will affect traffic through late 2026 or early 2027. 

The demolition of the old bridge is completed, said Summer Derrey, communications manager for the Washington Department of Transportation North Central region. Interstate 90 is still open while the bridge is being replaced, but drivers navigating the construction zone will find there are frequent changes in traffic patterns, depending on where crews are working.  

For the next week both lanes will be open westbound, Derrey said. Drivers heading east will encounter periodic lane closures.  

Some projects are almost done as summer’s end approaches. A two-year WSDOT project to repave sections of I-90 near the Vantage Bridge is in its final stages.  

Sebastian Moraga, WSDOT communications consultant, said the paving – the part that affects traffic – is done.  

“The project is finished except for the permanent signing on that stretch of road. That is still going on as we wait for additional materials,” Moraga wrote in answer to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald.  

    Sections of Jackrabbit Street Northeast are closed to traffic near Quincy High School while roadwork continues east of the school.