Last weekend, we closed Pioneer Street between 56th Place and Discovery Drive for a significant culvert installation as part of the Pioneer Widening project. Although progress was made, the contractor was unable to complete the culvert work due to heavy rainfall on Saturday.
This culvert work operates under a regulated schedule, which has now been extended through November 11. The job itself is complex, requiring multiple days without traffic in the area to handle the size and intricacies of the culvert, alongside crucial adjacent utility work. To address these needs, the City has approved extending the upcoming closure of Pioneer Street between 56th Place and Discovery Drive, scheduled now from 7 PM Friday, November 1, through 11 PM Monday, November 11.
This decision was not made lightly; it followed careful coordination between the City and the contractor to ensure that the closure would proceed as smoothly as possible, with commitments to the following:
- The contractor has added extra pumps and will be closely monitoring weather to prevent further disruptions from rainfall during this work period. They are also completing additional prep work and material staging ahead of the closure to maximize efficiency and ensure the work will be completed within the timeframe.
- To ease traffic flow during the closure, 53rd Place will be open for northbound traffic during the PM rush hour (3 PM–7 PM) on weekdays. Drivers can take 53rd Place to Pioneer Canyon Drive, then head west to reconnect with Pioneer.
- Access to businesses on 53rd Place (Mountain View Dental and Ridgefield Physical Therapy) will remain available from Pioneer Canyon during business hours, though south bound 53rd Place will be closed beyond these business entrances.
- Once this closure concludes, the temporary signal at 53rd Place will be removed, and the intersection will convert to right-in/right-out access, per the original plan. Candlestick style traffic barricades will be installed along the center line to emphasize that no left turn is permitted.
- The contractor and City will closely monitor the closure area at key intersections and add extra flaggers to detour routes if needed to keep traffic moving smoothly.
We recognize the significant impact these past two months of construction have had on travel through the area. Once this closure is complete, we’ll all see a break from the shifting traffic patterns as the contractor wraps up culvert installations and focuses on widening the south side of Pioneer, giving everyone some breathing room before heavy work picks up again in 2025. Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we work together to keep Ridgefield moving forward.
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