Note: opening the Rucker/California intersection east-west to vehicles has been delayed to preserve pedestrian safety. See ***** in the "Upcoming" section below.
Work on the Rucker Renewal project is about 50 percent complete!
During excavation last week, crews found what appeared to be a homemade time capsule. The small plastic bin contained a 1999 edition of the Everett Herald, a package of promotional golf balls and tees and a bill of sale from 1965.
LAST WEEK
Rucker
- West side
- Everett to California
- New sidewalks poured. All businesses are accessible.
- Installation of electrical foundations and conduit continued.
- California to Hewitt
- The contractor completed the roadway concrete paving.
- Pedestrian pathways have been moved to the roadway, and the existing sidewalks have been demolished.
- Hewitt to Wall
- The contractor demolished and graded the roadway, and concrete roadway paving is ongoing.
- East side
- Everett to California
- Existing sidewalks were demolished, and the contractor prepped for new sidewalks.
- New curbs, sidewalks and driveways went in. Only the corners at California remain to be completed.
- California to Hewitt
- The contractor closed existing sidewalks and established temporary pedestrian access to all doorways.
California
- Permanent driveways completed.
Wall
- Wall Street is open with a temporary asphalt surface. The road surface will be finished later in the project.
UPCOMING
Hoyt
- The contractor will complete the sidewalk corners for the Hoyt/Pacific intersection when the brass street-name lettering arrives and will landscape the planters in spring 2020. Signals will also be installed later; the contractor is awaiting delivery of signal poles and equipment.
Rucker
- California Street intersection*****
- To prioritize pedestrian safety, it was decided that the opening of the California Street intersection to vehicles will occur sometime after the Thanksgiving holiday. The timing of the opening of the intersection to vehicles corresponds with completion of the sidewalk corners, which has been delayed due to the longer-than-expected delivery time of the brass street-name lettering that will be inset into the sidewalk corners.
- Pedestrians continue to have ADA-compliant access through the intersection.
- West side
- Everett to California
- Temporary paving at the corners of Everett Avenue will go in.
- California to Hewitt
- The contractor will continue to trench for electrical and irrigation.
- Hewitt to Wall
- Concrete roadway pavement pours will continue for several weeks.
- Vehicle detection loops will go in the middle turn lane.
- East side
- Everett to California
- The contractor will continue to place sidewalk.
- California to Hewitt
- The contractor will begin demolition of the east side of the street and trenching for electrical and irrigation will begin.
- Intermittent traffic delays at the Aero apartments will continue for the next month. These delays are expected to be of shorter duration than previous driveway access delays.
Wall
- Storm drainage installation begins first week of December.
REMINDERS
The Rucker Renewal project was divided into 3 phases for the express purpose of minimizing impacts to businesses and residents in the construction corridor. To estimate how long each phase might take, 150 contracted working days – not including weekends, holiday, weather that prohibits the work -- were broken into 3 approximate parts, which comes out to 2.5 months for each phase, weather permitting. The Rucker project began July 8, 3.5 months ago.
Phase 1 is physically twice as much territory than Phases 2 or 3. To allow traffic to remain open through the work zone and shorten the time needed for a full closure of the Phase 2 work later, the contractor worked ahead of the waterline portion of the Phase 2 work. The waterline is now completely installed, which is a major chunk of the project as a whole.
The contractor will transition to exclusively Phase 2 work with the opening of the Hewitt intersection, when Hewitt will becomes part of the Phase 2 detour. Finish work, including planting, will occur in spring.
Work-zone vandalism has occurred outside of construction hours. To report suspicious activity, please call Everett Police's non-emergency line: 425-407-3999.
A pedestrian detour route will be available through the area. Vehicular access on Rucker Avenue between Hewitt and Wall will also remain open, including turnaround space at the north end of the roadway. A flagger will be present at the Hewitt/Rucker intersection during work hours. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction from Pacific to Wall; restricted to local business/residential access only from Wall to Hewitt. No through traffic will be allowed. The signed detour that has been in place will remain.
Waterline work has been completed, and all services have been transferred to the new system.
Future closures of the Rucker and Everett Avenue intersection will occur later in the project in support of the traffic signal work at that intersection.
Business support
The City’s tourism channels (VisitEverett.com, facebook.com/visiteverett, instagram.com/visiteverett) have begun highlighting stakeholders impacted by the Rucker Renewal project, and yours could be next. If you're interested in your business being featured, please contact Julio Cortes at 425-257-7110.
Construction liaison info
Pedestrian access
The contract provides for an ADA compliant 6-foot protected and lighted pedestrian path, and any pedestrian detours will be signed. Pedestrians are discouraged from traveling in the work zone, but when necessary, the contractor is required to provide escorts during work hours.
Business entrances
Business entrances will always be accessible either via an existing sidewalk or a temporary asphalt sidewalk.
Work hours
Project work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with possible evening work. Everett’s noise ordinance prohibits work between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the week and between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. on weekends, unless a variance has been issued. Please note that Everett's noise ordinance allows work until 10 p.m. on Saturdays.
Historical findings
See images of historical finds from the Rucker Renewal project in the photo gallery.