Winter storm delays construction schedule

Lorin T. Smith/Northwest Guardian

The snowstorm that blew through Joint Base Lewis-McChord last week has caused a 45-day delay in the next phase of construction on Pendleton Avenue.

Crews plan to finish all construction on Pendleton west of 41st Division Road, but must wait until the weather improves and current Pendleton project are completed, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Project Engineer John Norquist.

Once the next phase starts in late February to early March, the major impact for most Pendleton drivers will be the road closures from 7th to 10th streets, expected to last three weeks.

Also, construction crews will work during the day, detouring traffic away from Pendleton toward Liggett Avenue. More information regarding specific detour routes and construction hours of operation will be announced closer to the construction start date.

Norquist said crews may have to work into the night, depending on how much work is finished during the day. Crews will try to keep nighttime construction operations to a minimum to reduce the noise disturbance, which could affect residents at the Rainier Inn or the new Town Center townhomes.

The construction could also impact servicemembers and civilians working at I Corps Headquarters, Building 2025. Construction crews worked through the fall and winter fixing Pendleton Avenue.

They are gearing up for the spring and summer, when Pendleton will be widened to multiple lanes from 41st Division Road to 2nd Division Drive, along Gray Army Airfield.

The multiple lanes are in response to the Town Center development behind the Exchange and commissary, as well as basewide growth. The widened Pendleton Avenue’s improvements will result in better traffic flow, parking and facility access, creating a friendlier environment for bikes and pedestrians, according to www.jblmpendleton.com, a Pendleton construction website.

Bicyclists will get their own lanes on Pendleton, allowing greater access and safety to the Lewis Main thoroughfare. Dedicated left turn lanes will prevent congestion for through traffic. Also, the improved road will support a new barracks facility being built at 2nd Division Drive.

The construction is part of the installation growth plan, which tracks future base construction projects. Chris Collins, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said completing all sections of Pendleton would now save money in the future because the infrastructure upgrades are expected to last 30 years.

If the project stays on its current schedule, the full two-mile stretch of Pendleton should be finished by this fall. Construction project managers are taking all measures to reduce the construction’s impact on drivers, residents and businesses, Norquist said. Installation officials recommend drivers not make significant changes to their driving habits as there will be sufficient bypasses to get around the construction, said Larry Mickel, Business Operations and Integration Division with the Directorate of Public Works.

For more information, check out the Pendleton Avenue website at www.jblmpendleton.com, the JBLM Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JBLMGarrison or check out other stories written about Pendleton by the Northwest Guardian.

Related:

Road work ahead, expect delays

Pendleton project to rely on Liggett detours