Highway 20 repaving starts this week

2018 0709 route 20 paving

At 8 p.m. Monday (July 9), crews from Lakeside Industries will start work to pave the four-lane stretch of SR 20 Spur between Sharpes Corner and the Commercial Avenue roundabout.

This means those who travel this stretch need to plan for two weeks of lane reductions and similar eastbound delays to what was experienced during Sharpes Corner construction. If you can avoid peak afternoon periods and the time just after ferries unload in Anacortes, please do.

Right now, the schedule has the four-lane stretch down to two lanes from the morning of Tuesday, July 10, through Sunday, July 22. The reductions will start just east of R Avenue and just west of Fidalgo Bay Road (where the concrete barrier starts on each end).

The first section of this project on SR 20 Spur between Commercial Avenue and the Anacortes Ferry Terminal is complete. As part of the work we narrowed the lanes of travel to 11 feet along this entire stretch to squeeze a bit more space out for people who bicycle along it. I know that means that in some areas, the new seam of pavement has created a ridge in the middle/an awkward spot of the shoulder. We have added a smoother transition to some of the worst areas and while we won’t be doing that to the entire stretch, please let me know if there is an area you still think is quite bad and I’ll have crews take a look.

Work schedule

Monday, July 9 to the morning of Tuesday, July 10
Crews will set up traffic control and begin lane reductions just east of R Avenue and just west of Fidalgo Bay Road.

Tuesday, July 10, through Sunday, July 15
Crews will close the eastbound lanes of SR 20 Spur and route travelers into a single lane in each direction on the westbound side of the highway.

Monday, July 16, through Sunday, July 22
Crews will close westbound lanes of SR 20 Spur and route traffic into a single lane in each direction on the eastbound side of the highway.

Monday, July 23, to the morning of Friday, July 27
Crews will close lanes of the SR 20 Spur and R Avenue intersection nightly from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.

What to expect

People driving through this area should plan for longer commutes and some added delays during busy summer travel times.

Eastbound – drivers leaving the Commercial Avenue roundabout will merge with drivers turning left off R Avenue.
Westbound – drivers leaving the Sharpes Corner roundabout toward Anacortes will merge with drivers using the roundabout’s westbound bypass lane.

The biggest delays are expected eastbound during the afternoon commute and when ferry traffic unloads in Anacortes. You can check the ferry schedule or use the vessel watch feature on the WSDOT app so you know before you go.