Description
The project is an undertaking to modify two interchanges along Interstate 405 in Bellevue.
The Northeast Fourth Street overpass and the Northeast Sixth Street direct access interchange phase of the I-405 Bellevue Direct Access project is the result of the regional Access Downtown plan that will create a direct link at Northeast Sixth Street between I-405 and the Bellevue Transit Center and HOV access.
The Access Downtown plan is a partnership between Sound Transit, the city of Bellevue, the state Department of Transportation, King County Metro and the Federal Highway Administration. Sound Transit is funding a majority of the project.
The overpass at Northeast Sixth Street is a direct access interchange, with HOV lanes from the I-405 ramps crossing over southbound freeway lanes to the Bellevue Transit Center.
The new direct access interchange will improve reliability for transit and carpools by cutting back on the need for high-occupancy vehicles to cross lanes of traffic.
The main benefit for the direct access interchange is a predicted 50 to 70 percent reduction in time for transit traveling from I-405 to the transit center, according to conditions in 2020 with ramp metering.
The Northeast Fourth Street overpass improvements, along with several interchanges constructed in earlier phases, were started in support of the Sixth Street Interchange that is the heart of the direct access connection.
The Fourth Street overpass was designed three feet taller than the old one to accommodate space for the new direct access ramps. The new interchange was widened by one lane on Fourth Street for improved east-west traffic flow.
Improvements to the overpass now make it possible for all vehicles to travel east on Northeast Fourth Street, rather than only high-occupancy vehicles. The southbound on and off ramps of the overpass were rebuilt and realigned to pass updated safety standards.
This portion of the project was completed in December 2003. The remaining direct access work will wind down in early 2005.
The Access Downtown project gave consideration to the possible need to expand I-405 in the future by lengthening the new overpasses. This project will provide greater safety for vehicles moving between I-405 and the transit center.
Improvements to other supporting intersections will relieve the congestion of getting into downtown, as well as make way for the direct access installation. Additionally, improved flow around the I-405 interchanges will take pressure off surrounding neighborhoods.
I-405 is an important route for vehicles in and out of downtown Bellevue, which is a destination, departure and transfer location. Convenience and accessibility are important concerns for the approximately 200,000 vehicles that travel I-405 through Bellevue on an average weekday.
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Contractor:
Guy F. Atkinson Construction, P.O. Box 940, 600
Naches Ave. S.W., Suite 120, Renton, WA 98055-2267,
(425) 255-7551
Engineers:
Dave Becher, Construction Project Engineer, WSDOT,
3241 118th Ave. S.E., Suite A, Bellevue, WA
98005-4138, (425) 649-4429
HDR Engineering, 500 108th Ave. N.E., Suite 1200,
Bellevue, WA 98004-5549, (425) 453-1523
Parsons Brinckerhoff, 999 Third Ave, Suite 2200,
Seattle, WA 98104-4001, (206) 382-5200
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Other Participants
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AGRA Foundations
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Apex Steel
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Atlantic Construction Engineers
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Becker Co.
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Caliber Concrete Construction
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Concrete Coring Co.
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Concrete Technology Corp.
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DS Purcell Painting
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E.J. Bartells
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Fought & Company
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Graham Steel
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INCA Engineers
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Jeff Johnson Excavating
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John-Wayne Construction
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KLB Construction
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Lakeside Industries
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Northwest Cascade
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Novito Construction
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Petersen Brothers
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Precision Iron Works
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Rainier Steel
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Ralph’s Concrete Pumping
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Rinker
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Salinas Construction
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Seattle Stud Welding
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Seismic Energy Products
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Shearer Design
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Skyline Steel Corp.
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Slead Construction
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Specialized Pavement Markings
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Terra Dynamics
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Totem Electric of Tacoma
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Trenchless Construction Services
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Tunnel Systems
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Universal Industrial Sales
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Versatile Drilling Contractors
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Watson Bowman Acme
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