Construction is underway in Clark County to improve Northeast 10th Avenue from Northeast 149th Street to Northeast 154th Street in Vancouver. There have been multiple improvements on 10th Avenue over the last decade, including a new bridge just north of 154th Street.
“This project (TACC) will connect to the new bridge to the north and complete the gap between the two roadways already built out,” says Troy Pierce, project manager with Clark County Public Works. “It is a large project with a lot of earth moving.”
The project will be paid for with a combination of funding sources, including a federal grant. Tapani, Inc., of Battle Ground won the bidding with a low bid of $7.9 million and is now under contract with the County. The expected completion date – weather permitting – is in early June 2022. The project will include a series of roadway improvements, including widening the road to include two travel lanes, a center left turn lane, bike lanes, and building curb, gutter, and sidewalks.
“We will also be constructing a new culvert crossing for the tributary of Whipple Creek that crosses 10th Avenue just north of 149th Street,” explains Pierce, “This includes retaining walls, and we’ll be installing a new traffic signal at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Northeast 149th Street.”
Stormwater improvements and a retention pond located on the corner of Northeast 149th Street and Northeast 10th Avenue are among additional project upgrades. “We are partnering with the sewer district (Clark Regional Wastewater District) to install a sanitary sewer force main and a water main for Clark Public Utilities.”
For drivers this means the roadway will close. And there are both long-and-short-term closures. The main closure affecting Northeast 10th Avenue north of Northeast 149th Street began June 7 and will span up to 12 months. “We are going to tear the road out and make a big hole to replace the culvert that is 2-or-3-feet in diameter with a large 17-foot diameter culvert,” says Pierce. “This is the reason for the main closure.”
The project’s new and robust culvert installed at the creek crossing just north of Northeast 149th Street will necessitate raising the roadway surface up to 15 feet above its existing level.
But there is also an interim closure. Pierce explains Northeast 149th Street will be raised about eight feet at its intersection with Northeast 10th Avenue. That intersection will typically be open to traffic during construction except for temporary lane closures related to construction lasting up to 20 minutes. However, Pierce cautions that in the spring near the end of the project’s duration, drivers can expect a 30-day closure at the intersection of Northeast 149th Street while it is undergoing reconstruction. “This will create more impact on the local area,” says Pierce, “and we will encourage drivers to take alternate routes, because the detour around the intersection will take traffic through a neighborhood that doesn’t usually see a lot of traffic.”
The TACC project improves the transportation system in the area to support the Clark County Comprehensive Growth Management Plan. When complete, this project will improve travel times, encourage economic development, improve the local environment and fish passage, and bring the road up to current standards.
Pierce says there is great appreciation for the cooperation and understanding the county has received for the roadway improvements, as it is a big change for the time being.
“This is the ultimate build out for this section of roadway,” says Pierce. “It’s not an interim improvement. This improvement should last as long as the county is around.”
Stay current with the latest traffic impacts by visiting the project website. You can also find updated information on the Clark County Public Works Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter social media platforms.
