City awards 38th Avenue project bid

A road project that has been in the planning stages for several years will finally break ground this winter.

Last night, the Camas City Council approved a contract for construction of phase 1 of the Northwest 38th Avenue/Southeast 20th Street extension and improvements.

The $3.65 million project was awarded to low bidder Tapani, Inc., which recently finished work on the Washington State Department of Transportation Highway 14 safety improvement project in Camas and Washougal. The Battle Ground based company also completed the city’s Northwest Lake Road project several years ago.

A total of 10 companies from Oregon and Washington submitted bids for the 38th Avenue extension.

The project extends Northwest 38th Avenue approximately two-thirds of a mile west to 192nd Avenue. The completed project includes purchase of right-of-way, street construction, storm water drainage system, street lights and installation of water main. The end result will be a 46 foot wide paved road with two bike lanes, two travel lanes and a center left turn lane with curbs and sidewalks on both sides.

According to City Engineering Manager James Carothers, phase 1 construction work is expected to begin within the next few weeks, and be completed in 150 working days. Design work on phases 2 and 3 is now underway.

The project is being supported through several sources including a federal grant administered through the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council Surface Transportation Program, as well as State Transportation Improvement Board funding and a low interest loan through the State Public Works Trust Fund.

Mayor Scott Higgins said a ground breaking ceremony to kick off construction of the critical local project, expected to be a stimulus for economic development, will be scheduled soon.

“This is a big project for the city,” he said.