The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) held an open house for local residents at the North Bend Forest Service office on Tuesday, February 26, 2013. As with the three previous open houses for the general public, the purpose was to provide information about the FHWA’s plans for the road and hearing about “your concerns such as how to reduce vehicle speed, adding safe bike lanes, safe shoulders for walking, and safe parking.”

Notes and materials from the previous open houses are posted on the paving project website, and not much new was presented at this meeting. However, the schedule is getting more definite:

• 2013: The project is anticipated to be awarded in the fall
• 2014: Active construction from late April through October
• 2015: Active construction from late April through October
• 2016: The actual paving will occur from late April through July

Construction will only take place between Monday’s at noon and end each week Friday at noon. During construction the Middle Fork Road beyond Valley Camp will be closed to all non construction vehicle traffic.

For an 8 week period during the summer of 2014 the Middle Fork road will be completely closed for a bridge replacement at mile post 10. During hours of construction the Lake Dorothy road will be closed to all non construction traffic to avoid accidents.

Construction traffic will stay off the lower couplet road (SE Middle Fork). Once construction is complete the Lake Dorothy road (upper couplet road) will be repaired to the condition it was in prior to construction beginning. No upgrade or improvements will be done on either of the roads in the couplet area.

There was much discussion regarding slowing traffic down on the entire road length, access, traffic, and the exit 34 area. The design speed for the proposed project is 35 mph with an expected posted speed limit of 30 mph.