This Week in Yelm Highway History

LAKEVIEW CONSTRUCTION SET THE WET WELL IN THE SEWER PUMP STATION USING A CRANE ALONG YELM HWY 300’ EAST OF BRASSFIELD DR SE (SEE PICTURES BELOW). THEY WILL RETURN WITH THE CRANE MONDAY JANUARY 31^st TO SET THE DRY WELL.

Remember this picture from last week?

Look at how BIG this thing is!!!

THIS WEEK

THE CONTRACTOR CONTINUES TO MAKE SEWER, STORMWATER, ILLUMINATION AND IRRIGATION CROSSINGS OF YELM HWY FROM HENDERSON TO BOULEVARD RD SE.

NEXT WEEK

CONTRACTOR WILL CONTINUE WITH THE STORMWATER, ILLUMINATION AND IRRIGATION CROSSINGS FROM HENDERSON TO BOULEVARD RD SE. THE DRY WELL WILL BE SET WITH A CRAIN APPROXIMATELY 300’ EAST OF BRASSFIELD DR SE. THEY WILL ALSO BE PLACING ROCK TO GET UP TO GRADE FOR THE CURB AND GUTTER FROM HENDERSON BLVD TO JULI CT!

Two Week Look-Ahead on Construction (Work is estimated and subject to change)

Here is a portion of the estimate construction upcoming on Yelm Hwy.

Friday Jan. 28th:  Work halfway between Brassfield and Clar Mar on South Side of Road

Monday Jan. 31th - Wednesday Feb. 2:  Work stretching from Clar Mar to Juli Ct. in center of road

Thursday Feb 3 to Thursday Feb 8th:  Work stretching from  Juli Ct heading East towards Laura St. in the center of the road.

Pump Station Installation Begins!

Just east of Brassfield drivers may see a large hole that has developed in the last few days.  As mentioned in Wednesday's post, this is the new location of the sewage pump station.  Construction of the pump station structure will begin next week.

I think the pink rock is either the grade depth, or it's radioactive. :-O

Looks like someone needs to set their camera clock! ;-)

 Sewer installation this week and into next week continues as usual along Yelm Hwy with the exception that drivers and homeowners will see some side sewer connections going in, similar to Village Drive this week, which will disrupt travel on side streets.  Homeowners will be notified of the disruptions prior to them happening and as soon as details are available they will be posted here on the blog.

 Can you dig it?  We can!!!

Construction of stormwater crossings (across Yelm Hwy) will also pick up again beginning next week on the West end of the project.  

2011- Week 1 Jan 5th

Happy New Year.


Contractor plans to continue installation of water and sewer pipe and there will be traffic restrictions at different work zones for the next week as crews move along the pipe installation routes.  The pump station excavation is occurring east of Brassfield.  Work is off of the traveled lanes, but trucks and equipment will move in and out of that work zone and will impact traffic flow.

UPDATED!!! Bonus Blog #2

The previously mentioned work on Village Drive will  happen on Monday,and Tuesday.


The Contractor will make provisions for the school bus stop to place the children in a safe location and allow the bus to pick them up.  Also, they will accommodate the garbage truck on Tues. and allow emergency vehicle access.
More details here


There is no work tomorrow.


We will return to our regular schedule of blogs and Tweets next week. 


Have a safe holiday weekend. We will see you next year!

SPECIAL BLOG POST

In spite of the holidays, staff had a few moments to put this post together.

 Wondering why the roadway has shifted to the north recently near Brassfield? You will soon get your answer as the contractor begins excavating for the sewer pump station next to the rock retaining wall just east of Brassfield, the approximate location indicated by the blue area in the image. Although crews will be working as normally, this will hopefully lessen congestion as one crew will be working out of the roadway.

This week construction can be expected to continue in the center of the roadway between Henderson Blvd and Orvas Ct, and also just east of Brassfield. 

Monday, sewer work will begin at Village Drive. To avoid long delays, you will need to be out of the subdivision by 7:30 AM.

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR YELM HIGHWAY

Season's Greetings!
This will be our last blog until 2011, so have a Happy New Year, too!


Here is the schedule for the project as we have it right now:
Today there is a pipe crew working near Brassfield and also paving in the intersection. Expect heavy truck traffic.  There is also a pipe crew working near Henderson.  Delays of 30 minutes or more.
Dec 24: No work
Dec 27: No Work
Dec 28-30: Pipe work west of Brassfield
Dec 31: No Work
Jan 3: No Work
 There will be no blog posts until January 4 or 5.
 Have a safe Holiday. 

Season's Greetings from the Yelm Highway Project Team!

December Week Three

A little bit about the sinkhole that occurred last week.  The contractor was digging two parallel trenches to work on some utility lines. There was a gas main in the area, so the earth was left undisturbed between the two trenches to provide support and stability for the gas line.  The sinkhole developed between these two trenches.  


When working in an area that has absorbed as much water as we have had recently, the soil takes on almost a jell-o or quicksand quality that makes it susceptible to suddenly losing it's cohesiveness.  It then flows to the nearest open space.  This is why you see those large steel boxes on excavation sites.  Those are lowered into the area where the work is being done to protect the workers in case the side of the trench collapses.  The workers enter and exit via a ladder and work within the protection of the trench box. You can see in the first picture that this trench collapse can also happen in dry earth. Notice the sand on the right side of the trench box in the first picture. This has sloughed off the side of the trench

Trench box being moved by the backhoe.

In the third picture you can see the worker down inside of the trench box.