Contractor crews from Tapani are making amazing progress on this intersection safety improvement project. If you are a Friday commuter – most of you will experience new traffic control tomorrow. Tapani crews believe they’ll be moving onto the next stage of work by tomorrow, Friday, June 8 which means the Sharpes Corner roundabout will open as a single lane roundabout. This means no more route up the hill for Anacortes to I-5 travels but you’ll still need to merge into a single lane before entering the intersection. The left hand turn lane from I-5 to Whidbey Island traffic will get blocked off during this next stage and all those headed toward Whidbey Island will use one lane through the roundabout. The westbound bypass will remain as is for Anacortes bound travelers.
The speed limit remains 35 mph through this ENTIRE work zone, so please slow your speeds (even in the bypass lane) as crews will still be working close by. Businesses in this area remain open and to access them you’ll need to make right turns into driveways. Use the roundabouts to U-turn to access the business or driveway you want.
I’ve uploaded new photos WSDOT inspectors have taken from them work zone, May through yesterday. You can see the dozens they've taken (I haven’t even uploaded them all) at www.bit.ly/SharpesCornerRABPhotos.
SR 20 Spur paving in Anacortes
Don’t forget about this project, also happening in Anacortes this year. Crews plan to be back on the stretch between Commercial and the ferry terminal overnight next week (minor delays) to put down permanent striping and finish that section.
The next part of this project will be to repave the four-lane section between Commercial and the new Sharpes Corner roundabouts. That work – and two weeks of lane reductions – will happen once major work wraps up at Sharpes Corner.
Andrea Petrich
Andrea.Petrich@wsdot.wa.gov