AGNEW — Road widening work has begun on a stretch of Old Olympic Highway between Spring and Barr roads.
Joe Donici, assistant Clallam County engineer, said the $997,333 project is expected to be completed by mid-August.
“It’ll mostly be one-lane traffic with flagging,” Donici said.
“We would definitely encourage people to peel off and get out on [U.S. Highway] 101 as much as possible.”
Jordan Excavating of Port Angeles was awarded the contract last year, and grading for new roadway was under way Wednesday.
Work began late last week.
Trees and above-ground utilities were removed last winter, and some fences were built on the south side of the right of way for construction.
The road stretch will be widened from the existing 28 feet to 40 feet, giving motorists safer 12-foot lanes with two 8-foot-wide shoulders.
The existing pavement will be pulverized for removal. That project should take about two months to complete once it begins.
The next segment of Old Olympic Highway to be widened, likely in 2013, will extend from Barr Road to McDonnell Creek Bridge.
That project is expected to include the replacement of the narrow bridge, which county road officials call one of the most seismically vulnerable bridges in the county.
The road may be realigned somewhat to the north to construct the bridge.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
