Community Government Transportation
Harborview-Stinson intersection re-opening ‘shortly’
Harborview Drive through downtown Gig Harbor will be reopening “shortly,” according to the city.
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The city announced via Facebook that the new roundabout is paved and the intersection will re-open to two-way traffic “this coming week.” Because such work can be weather-dependent, the exact date of the reopening is not known.
Harborview, the city’s main drag, closed in the southbound direction on Feb. 28 to resume construction of a $2.1 million roundabout, diverting drivers to a long detour on the west side of Highway 16. Northbound traffic continued to drive through the project.
While finish work will continue into July, flaggers will be directing alternating traffic. The road will be open in both directions at night.
After receiving complaints from business owners, the city provided contractor Active Construction an incentive of $5,000 for every working day, up to 15, that Harborview opens early to two-way traffic. It was originally scheduled to open after paving was completed on June 9.
A subcontractor finished applying the base layer of asphalt on Wednesday.
Counting backward 15 working days would be today, May 19, for Active to earn the maximum incentive of $75,000. Inclement weather forced the contractor to miss a few days, but it is still eligible to receive the full payment.
Active finished paving the base layer of asphalt Wednesday and applied the top finish coat on Thursday.
The work to replace a stop sign where Stinson meets Harborview with the roundabout is intended to improve safety at the intersection and decrease wait times for people attempting to turn from Stinson on to Harborview. A study commissioned by the city found that cars waited on Stinson an average of 1 minute, 48 seconds to enter Harborview. The city said the wait was projected to grow to more than 3 minutes over the next nine years.
The $75,000 in incentives would come from a $238,000 cushion in the project’s $2.1 million budget.
A traffic signal was originally planned instead before the city opted for a roundabout. To meet safety requirements, a signal would require significant grading, with a closure time of at least as long. A stoplight would cost more to operate and improve Stinson wait times less, according to the city.