For Immediate Release August 6, 2012
Work begins on Sweet Creek Road Retaining Wall Replacement Project
Sweet Creek Road Milepost 1.90 to Milepost 2.20 – Mapleton
Contact: Dave Brown, Construction Services Manager, 541.682.6994
West Coast Contractors, Inc., from Coos Bay is scheduled to begin construction this week on replacing the failing retaining wall on Sweet Creek Road in the Mapleton area. Sweet Creek Road is a vital transportation link between State Route 126 and large tracts of public and private forest lands, including 30,000 acres of National Forest System Lands where approximately 5 million board feet of timber is harvested annually. The road also provides the only all-season access route to 68 homes. The section of the road between Mileposts 1.90 and 2.20 has been a constant maintenance challenge due to settling pavement, sunken grades, and failing retaining walls. In January 2011, one lane sunk severely, resulting in a huge crack in the roadway, making the westbound lane impassable. Access through this section of roadway has been limited to one-way traffic, controlled with traffic signals. The construction project will replace both the failing retaining walls and rebuild both lanes of roadway, restoring two-way traffic.
Lane County secured a grant from the Federal Highway Administration through the Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) for this project. WFLHD has committed to fund $5,865,200 of the costs of this $6,120,000 project, with Lane County contributing the remaining portion from the Road Fund.
During construction Lane County will operate a special Sweet Creek Road Project Information Telephone Line with up-to-date recorded information regarding construction activity. The toll free project telephone number is 1-855-263-9169. Residents should expect several nighttime road closures between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. the following morning, throughout the duration of this 16 month long project. The nighttime road closures will be announced in advance on special project signs and on the toll free information line. The first nighttime closure is scheduled for the nights of Sunday August 12th thru Wednesday, August 15th.
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