Chelan - Wenatchee Heights Road
Project Number: 1999
From milepost 0 to milepost 1.32
RATA Funds: $2,258,100
Legislative District: 12
Status:
Date Approved: 2015
This project will improve Wenatchee Heights Road (12990), which is a Rural Minor Collector that serves as the main access to the Wenatchee Heights area from the City of Wenatchee. It serves residential and school bus traffic, orchardists, and outdoor enthusiasts. The beginning of the project will connect to Upper Squilchuck (CRP642), which was constructed in 2012. The end of the project is within a mile of last year's Stemilt Loop Road, Phase III project, which also received RATA funding.
The existing roadway was rutting, alligatoring, shoving, and settling in many locations. The horizontal curves were tight and the road width varied, neither allowing the many trucks used for harvest or logging to maneuver easily through this corridor.
Full-depth reclamation was used to stabilize the road base, then a stiffer mix of HMA than typical was placed on top to mitigate the above-described deficiencies. The hairpin curve at the end of the project was widened for truck off-tracking, however still requires posting for a reduction in speed. In addition, at the beginning of the project, just above the intersection with Squilchuck Road, the first curve still requires a reduced speed. Topographical constraints prohibited the county from upgrading the alignment in these sections to allow vehicles to maintain the posted 40-mph speed limit. The previous road width varied somewhat throughout the project limits, and averaged 27'. The project provides a consistent width of 30' with additional shoulder width for off-tracking, snow storage, and maintenance of a shared shoulder for multi-modal use. In an effort to manage stormwater, ditch slopes were standardized with upgraded culverts, inlets and outlets. Guardrail was installed where warranted along the steep slopes and around obstacles. A geotechnical analysis was performed to determine the best solution to mitigate the section with severe settlement. However, it was determined that only a high cost solution would be effective at this location. The county acknowledged that settlement repairs as needed would be more cost effective and that the FDR and other project repairs would stave off repairs for a while.
The existing roadway was rutting, alligatoring, shoving, and settling in many locations. The horizontal curves were tight and the road width varied, neither allowing the many trucks used for harvest or logging to maneuver easily through this corridor.
Full-depth reclamation was used to stabilize the road base, then a stiffer mix of HMA than typical was placed on top to mitigate the above-described deficiencies. The hairpin curve at the end of the project was widened for truck off-tracking, however still requires posting for a reduction in speed. In addition, at the beginning of the project, just above the intersection with Squilchuck Road, the first curve still requires a reduced speed. Topographical constraints prohibited the county from upgrading the alignment in these sections to allow vehicles to maintain the posted 40-mph speed limit. The previous road width varied somewhat throughout the project limits, and averaged 27'. The project provides a consistent width of 30' with additional shoulder width for off-tracking, snow storage, and maintenance of a shared shoulder for multi-modal use. In an effort to manage stormwater, ditch slopes were standardized with upgraded culverts, inlets and outlets. Guardrail was installed where warranted along the steep slopes and around obstacles. A geotechnical analysis was performed to determine the best solution to mitigate the section with severe settlement. However, it was determined that only a high cost solution would be effective at this location. The county acknowledged that settlement repairs as needed would be more cost effective and that the FDR and other project repairs would stave off repairs for a while.