Atkinson Creates Highway Tunnel
Crews Continue Work On Vital Washington Project
Atkinson Construction is making steady progress on the new Veterans Drive tunnel as part of the SR 509 Completion Project.
This portion of work is part of the overall Puget Sound Gateway Program, which aims to build critical connection points in Washington’s highway and freight network.
In August, crews began shifting northbound I-5 traffic to the left over a recently completed section of the Veterans Drive tunnel near SR 516 in SeaTac so work could continue.
The tunnel runs east-west under I-5 and will provide more direct access to manufacturing industries in the Kent Valley, allowing freight to bypass the busy SR 516 interchange. The tunnel is made of steel arches and will carry two lanes of traffic in each direction.
“Finishing SR 509 will improve freight mobility to and from our ports and provide an important north-south alternative to I-5 between Seattle and south King County,” said Gateway Program Administrator John White. “Atkinson Construction has a long history of successfully delivering complex highway projects for WSDOT. We’re looking forward to working with them to complete the design and construction of the final 2 miles of SR 509.”
The SR 509 Completion Project in King County is part of the Puget Sound Gateway Program, which also includes the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County. Together, these projects complete two of the Puget Sound region’s most critical freight corridors and improve access to I-5, the ports of Tacoma and Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The SR 509 Completion Project builds a new four-lane expressway between I-5 and SR 509's cur-
rent end near Sea-Tac Airport, builds new I-5 ramps, improves I-5 interchanges in south King County and constructs new bridges. When complete, the project will create an important north-south alternative to the congested I-5 corridor between Seattle and south King County.
A total of $2.68 billion funds both the SR 509 Completion Project in King County and the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County.
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The tunnel runs east-west under I-5 and will provide more direct access to manufacturing industries in the Kent Valley, allowing freight to bypass the busy SR 516 interchange.
Atkinson Construction is building a a new Veterans Drive tunnel under SR 509, part of the nearly $3 billion SR 509 Completion Project in King County, Wash.
Loggers Can Now Be Compensated for Natural Disasters
Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act, which would establish a new U.S. Department of Agriculture program to support loggers who have lost income due to natural disasters.
Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) is the lead co-sponsor in the House. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) are cosponsors of the legislation.
Current law excludes loggers from the kinds of disaster relief and assistance available to other industries, including fishermen and farmers, when natural disasters strike. Under the Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act, a disaster declaration from the president or respective governor would unlock federal assistance eligibility for logging businesses with at least a 10 percent loss in revenue or volume compared to the prior year. Covered damage would include high winds, fire, flooding, insect infestation and drought.
“Loggers have faced a series of unrelenting challenges in recent years, and uneven access to disaster assistance is among the most artificial,” said Golden, who authored the legislation. “These businesses are pillars for some of Maine's most rural communities, and we simply cannot afford to lose them. Protecting these jobs ensures that future generations can continue to make a consistent living in the woods. I'm grateful to have so many of my colleagues join this important effort.”
“By establishing a new program within the Department of Agriculture to support loggers facing losses due to natural disasters, our bipartisan, bicameral Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act will help this vital industry survive whatever future storms or challenges may come,” said Pingree, a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Logging industry leaders praised the bipartisan legislation.
“Logging contractors have been hit hard with an unprecedented series of weather challenges over the past 18 months,” Dana Doran, executive director of the Professional Logging Contractors said. “This has triggered expanded state regulations, which impede harvesting and hauling for long periods of time. While this has created an environmental success story, it has also created an economic disaster due to no fault of the logging community. As a result of these challenges, we have discovered there is no federal relief for logging and trucking companies due to natural disasters. We want to thank Congressmen Golden and Senator Collins for leading this effort to secure relief for these hard-working small family businesses, and we urge swift passage to provide relief and finally treat logging and trucking the same as farming for the first time in history.”
Scott Dane, executive director of the American Loggers Council, said, “The timber/forest industry is a commoditybased sector similar to farming. Loggers are farmers of the forests. They are included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, within the U.S. Forest Service. However, unlike all other agriculture-based commodities, loggers have no support when their “crop” is damaged or destroyed by natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfire, floods, disease and drought.”
Two Longtime Metso Distributors Combine Resources Under Acquisition
PacWest Machinery LLC of Kent, Wash., recently completed the purchase of Miller Machinery of Longview, Wash.
Miller Machinery has been a valued Metso dealer since 2007 and PacWest since 2017. After the acquisition, PacWest will assume Miller Machinery’s territory of customers in Washington, Oregon and the quarry segment for Hawaii.
Both distributors have a history of delivering exceptional customer service and the combination of resources will provide additional benefits to Metso’s customers across the region operating in the sand, gravel, aggregates and contractor material processing markets. The unification will strengthen the companies’ collective network capabilities and enhance Metso’s market presence in the Pacific Northwest United States.
“Mike and Annette Miller have dedicated themselves to the aggregates industry and we congratulate them on reaching this point in their journey,” said Steve Cianci, vice president for the Americas Distribution Management at Metso. “Both Miller Machinery and PacWest Machinery have done an excellent job in their respective territories serving their customers. Metso thanks Miller Machinery for our partnership over the years and we look forward to a growing relationship with PacWest.”
“I would especially like to thank our employees for their
dedication over the years, and all our customers who have trusted us to deliver reliable equipment and high levels of product support,” said Mike Miller, president of Miller Machinery. “In addition, we would like to express our gratitude to Metso and our other suppliers for helping us develop this business.”
“We are excited to welcome the entire Miller Machinery team to our aggregate equipment division at PacWest,” said Jolene Logue, president at PacWest Machinery. “We are pleased that Mike Miller is joining PacWest and will continue to be an outstanding resource for customers, colleagues and equipment partners.”
Transport Equipment Solutions Brings Thunder Creek Solutions to Oregon Area
Transport Equipment Solutions has added the Thunder Creek lineup of field fueling and service solutions to its offering of new tanks and trailers in Oregon.
This includes the original No-HAZMAT Fuel & Service Trailer (MTT), the Multi-Tank Oil Trailer (MTO) and Service and Lube Trailer (SLT).
Transport Equipment Solutions — based in Portland, Ore. — is a leading seller of new and used trucks and trailers serving the petroleum, construction and heavy haul industries. With a broad range of truck, trailer, tank and parts supplies, the company specializes in tailoring fuel and bulk fluid transportation solutions for each business they work with.
“Solutions for bulk fluid delivery are our specialty, and Thunder Creek provides a new range of solutions for our customers that complements our current product line and local industry demand very well,” said Jeff Hauck, general manager, Transport Equipment Solutions.
“We now have solutions that provide greater access to certain customers and job sites, all without requiring a HAZMAT endorsement. These solutions are perfect for those businesses that don’t need large lube trucks
Thunder Creek Equipment photo Transport Equipment Solutions, a leading seller of new and used trucks and trailers serving the petroleum, construction and heavy haul industries, has added the Thunder Creek lineup of field fueling and service solutions to its offering in Oregon.
with much higher capacities, but still require some flexibility in how they deliver diesel and service fluids to the field.”
“We support a broad range of industries — both on road and off road — that are faced with new challenges every day, including access to resources, as well as regulations and labor shortages,” said Larry Lea, vice president of sales, Thunder Creek Equipment.
“At Thunder Creek, we provide heavy industry, fuel delivery and field service providers with solutions that meet and exceed all transportation regulations — and we do so in a way that makes it safe and easy for all employees to operate without requiring a HAZMAT and, in some cases, CDL endorsements. We’re empowering businesses to take their fueling and fleet management activities into their own hands.”
For more information, visit testanks4sale.com and ThunderCreek.com.
PacWest Machinery photo
THE DOER’S DREAM
Grant Moves Washington-Oregon Bridge Projects Ahead
An important milestone in the effort to replace the Interstate Bridge between Oregon and Washington was recognized in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 8.
Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt joined federal, state and local officials from both states at an event to celebrate the historic federal grant award recently announced for the Interstate Bridge Replacement program. The event highlighted the nearly $1.5 billion federal grant made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Bridge Investment Program.
The grant is the largest award announced to date for any project through the FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program and the third federal grant awarded to the Interstate Bridge Replacement program. Previous grant awards include a $600 million grant through the federal Mega Grant program announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this year and a $1 million planning grant from the Bridge Investment Program announced in 2022.
“Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program, we are making the single-largest dedicated investment in bridges since the construction of the interstate highway system,” said FHWA Administrator Bhatt. “Moreover, this grant in Oregon and Washington state is the largest of all the grants being awarded in this second round of funding. It’s helping to reinvest in our nation’s infrastructure and ensure vital connections for Americans that will improve safety, boost their quality of life and deliver a transportation system that works for everyone.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation was the lead on a joint application with the Washington State Department of Transportation to request $1.49 billion for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program through the FHWA Bridge Investment Program. The grant will help fund replacement of the two aging vertical lift bridges that carry Interstate 5 over the Columbia River, connecting Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Wash. The modern, seismically resilient and multimodal replacement bridges will provide safe and accessible options for driving, walking, biking, rolling and riding transit. The project will help reduce travel times and congestion along this critical corridor, improve safety and quality of life, and lower carbon emissions.
“I have championed this project just about as long as I have been in the Senate,” said Sen. Patty Murray. “That was back in the early 1990s — and it was already in sore condition. And not only is this bridge overcrowded, not only is it over 100 years old, it is also underprepared for an earthquake — which is not exactly an uncommon risk here. Traffic is frustrating enough — but that is downright dangerous. We can’t just accept that as a status quo. But good things come to those who don’t stopping pushing and we have not stopped pushing. Thanks to these federal dollars we have brought back to the Pacific Northwest, the day we replace this bridge is closer than ever. There is still a long road ahead — but with this latest funding announcement, we have passed another important mile marker.”
The bridge is a critical connection between Oregon and Washington on I-5, which is a vital trade route for regional, national and international economies. More than 143,000 vehicles and over $132 million in goods cross the bridge each weekday. Despite the bridge’s importance, it’s rated as one of the worst truck bottlenecks on the West Coast and travelers experience heavy congestion which affects commuters, freight and public transit. The area’s current crash rate is over three times higher than statewide averages. Improving travel reliability and safety through the construc-
tion of the IBR program supports regional access to jobs and the efficient movement of people and goods through the program corridor.
With one span of the Interstate Bridge now more than 100 years old, the current structure can no longer meet the needs of today’s travelers and is vulnerable to earthquake damage. Replacing this aging bridge over the Columbia River will help ensure travelers and local communities can continue to access the bridge and life-saving services in the event of a major earthquake.
“The I-5 bridge is a linchpin of local commutes and our international trade network,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell.
“One out of five dollars of goods produced in Washington and Oregon — over $130 million worth of freight — crosses the Columbia River every day. Today we are farther along in the bridge replacement process than we’ve ever been, thanks to the strongest federal support for any infrastructure project in our state’s history. This huge new federal grant will help us deliver a bridge that can serve Clark County and the whole nation for the next hundred years.”
The IBR program will boost the local and regional economy by building a multimodal transportation corridor that benefits all travelers, from local community members to long-haul truck drivers traveling on I-5 between Canada and Mexico. Reducing congestion and improving safety of the corridor will provide tangible economic benefits across the region through more reliable travel times, improved safety, and improved access to goods and services.
“When we brought $600 million home to replace the deteriorating, functionally obsolete I-5 bridge last year, I promised to keep fighting tooth and nail for every federal dollar possible,” said Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. “It’s the only way we get this colossal undertaking done — as well as ensure we feel the benefits of our tax dollars and avoid tolling. By bringing back more than $1.4 billion for this project, we’ll be strengthening our local economy, honoring the trades and keeping drivers, commuters and truckers safe and on the move. I brought Secretary of
Transportation Pete Buttigieg to the bridge to show him the dire need for replacement firsthand, as well as stressing the importance of this Bridge Investment Program grant whenever we spoke. We're now one major step closer to getting the I-5 bridge replaced and powering good, family-wage trades jobs in Southwest Washington.”
The infusion of the historic federal grant funds into the region during construction has the potential to provide the region with a once in-a-generation economic opportunity. Tens of thousands of jobs across multiple industries will be generated during the construction period benefiting workers, local businesses and families. Construction activity needed to get ready for the replacement bridge could begin as soon as late 2025.
“We are incredibly grateful to our federal partners for this strong show of confidence that they agree replacing the Interstate Bridge is a national priority that cannot wait,” said ODOT Director Kris Strickler. “This is a huge milestone for the project that was made possible by leveraging the strong commitments already made by both states and the ongoing partnership and commitment of everyone involved at the local, regional and federal levels.”
These competitive federal grants are an essential piece of the funding needed to help replace the bridge and other transportation improvements within the corridor. Program officials also are pursuing approximately $1 billion in funding through the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grant program. Oregon and Washington have each also committed $1 billion and authorized tolling to help fund the project.
“The historic federal investment now committed to the program is a clear indication of how significant replacing our aging transportation system is to the region and the nation,” said WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar. “The unwavering support and collaboration of regional partners, state leaders, our congressional delegation and our federal partners demonstrates that this critical effort has the support needed at all levels to continue the momentum needed to see it through to completion.”
Oregon Department of Transportation photo
The grant is the largest award announced to date for any project through the FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program and the third federal grant awarded to the Interstate Bridge Replacement program.
FALCON WINCH ASSIST
FALCON GRAPPLE CLAW
Seattle, WA 8207 South 216th St Kent, WA 98032 206.762.5933
Stage 1A · Open
For Stage 1a of the SR 509 Completion Project, WSDOT partnered with Sound Transit’s Federal Way Link Extension project to build a new SR 99 bridge near South 208th Street and new walls to reduce noise to nearby neighborhoods. The partnership reduces construction impacts by building both projects at the same time. The SR 99 bridge was opened to traffic in July 2022.
Second Stage
The SR 509 Stage 2 project includes two lanes in each direction of the future expressway. It rebuilds the interchanges at South 160th Street on the existing portion of SR 509 in Burien and South 188th Street in SeaTac, where SR 509 currently ends. It also builds a southbound I-5 auxiliary lane between SR 516 and South 272nd Street in Kent. In Des Moines, the project will improve 14 acres of land near Barnes Creek off Des Moines Memorial Drive.
Stage 2 is a design-build contract, which combines project final design and construction into a single contract. Atkinson Construction will spend most of 2024 completing design and planning work. Construction is expected to begin in late 2024 or early 2025, with the new expressway scheduled to open to traffic in 2028.
SR 509 Stage 1B – I-5 to 24th Avenue South
Stage 1b of the SR 509 Completion Project is under way after beginning construction in 2021. It builds the first mile of the new expressway between I-5 and 24th Avenue South. Stage 1b also includes a northbound I-5 flyover ramp to SR 509, a reconfigured I-5/SR 516 interchange, a new Veterans Drive tunnel under the interstate and a new South 216th Street bridge. This stage of construction is expected to be complete in 2025. (All photos courtesy of Washington Department of Transportation.)
503.252.5933
Portland, OR 19255 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97230
Eugene, OR 90712 Huntley Ct. Coburg, OR 97408
541.343.6926
Atkinson Makes Progress On Washington Tunnel Project
In August, crews began shifting northbound I-5 traffic to the left over a recently completed section of the Veterans Drive tunnel near SR 516 in SeaTac so work could continue.
TUNNEL from page 10
L 586 XPower Wheel Loader
