Together, they had the political and engineering muscle to push the $51.3 million LaBree Road interchange and freeway-widening project from concept to construction.
Unfortunately, five local officials - Sen. Dan Swecker, Lewis County Commissioner Richard Graham, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, Washington Department of Transportation Engineer Rich Hensley and Port of Chehalis Commissioner Judy DeVaul - didn't have the collective physical strength to pull the first concrete slab off the LaBree Road bridge during a bridge-breaking ceremony to kick off the project Tuesday afternoon.
About 50 people, mostly staff and elected officials from local and state governments in Lewis County, were on hand to celebrate the ceremonial start of construction of the new bridge and the widening of four miles of Interstate 5 from Rush Road to 13th Street outside Chehalis. The demolition of the bridge will take place in September.
After about a half-hour of talks from local officials, the five-member tug-of-war crew donned DOT orange highway vests and hard hats and grabbed a cable attached to a pre-cut piece of the concrete barrier.
The slab, which weighed more than 500 pounds, refused to budge until Randy Bateman, the DOT's incident response coordinator, hooked the winch to his pickup truck to pull the chunk down.
The LaBree Road project, which is expected to be completed in 2009, is the first of a series of projects designed to widen I-5 to three lanes through Lewis County. By 2014, the DOT expects to widen 18 miles of the freeway, from LaBree Road to 13th Street and Mellen Street to Maytown.
The LaBree Road interchange began as a concept for some people as long as 15 years ago. The project failed to obtain federal authority in 2000, but a revised plan passed muster in 2005.
Graham said improving economic vitality in Lewis County is just one of the benefits the widening will bring.
"I view this project … as the first step in major safety improvements for the traveling public in Lewis County," Graham, a Chehalis Republican, said.
DeVaul credited the cooperation and resilience of Lewis County residents.
"We aren't capable of hearing the word formed with the letters N-O," DeVaul said.
Swecker, a Rochester Republican, said short delays in construction could be possible with a project of this scope, but he doesn't foresee any larger delays because of cost overruns because the project is already funded.
"It's really the first major project in the whole corridor that's going to expand to capacity," Swecker said.
Baird, who is in Lewis County for the Independence Day celebration, said improved access to the nearby Chehalis Industrial Park will help attract more business to the area.
"It's a great day for Lewis County, and it's a great day for anybody who drives up and down this road," Baird, a Vancouver Democrat, said.
Erik Olson covers county government and environmental affairs for The Chronicle. He may be reached at 807-8239, or by e-mail at eolson@chronline.com. Check out his "County Chat" blog at www.chronline.com under Newsroom Blogs.
