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County approves phased, up-to-two-year closure at NE 179th and NE 20th for bridge and roundabout work
Summary
Clark County Public Works plans a phased closure of the NE 179th Street and NE 20th Avenue intersection to remove culverts, install two bridges and build a roundabout; the project is planned to begin in June and will include staged detours and guaranteed property access, county engineers told a neighborhood meeting.
Clark County Public Works will close the intersection of NE 179th Street and NE 20th Avenue for as long as two years to remove culverts, install two bridges, raise roadway grades and construct a roundabout, County Engineer Jeremy Provenzola told a neighborhood association meeting in March.
Provenzola said the county already sought and won council approval for the closure. “The council did vote to approve the closure,” he said, describing a phased schedule and a plan to award a construction contract this season.
The closure is being offered to bidders in phased options so contractors can propose schedules that limit neighborhood disruption, Provenzola said. Under the county’s concept, roughly the first year would leave the north leg on NE 20th and the east leg on NE 179th open while work proceeds on the west and south legs. Later work will include a period of full closure on all legs for bridge installation and the first pavement lift; some phases could require about six months when none of the legs are open. The county said contractors must provide homeowner access in disturbed areas at all times.
Public Works staff said planned work includes removing existing culverts, building abutments, setting bridge spans and raising roadway grades by as much as 15 feet in places to accommodate the new roundabout. The county said the main detour route would use NE 199th and NE 50th Street; staff said detour maps and posting will be available on the county website and in the project presentation materials.
Residents pressed county staff about the timing and the overlap with other corridor projects, including bus rapid transit work by C-Tran, ongoing private development, and school bus routing. Provenzola acknowledged coordination questions and said he would check schedules with C-Tran; he also said the county expects to begin work in June. “This is planned to start in June,” he said.
Several residents raised practical concerns about access during construction, the cumulative effect of multiple nearby developments on morning and evening traffic, and school transportation. Public Works said contractors are required to stage work to preserve property access and that the county will share contractor phasing plans when available. Staff also urged residents to report specific access problems so staff can follow up.
Because multiple private development projects are under permitting in the corridor, residents also asked whether the county would consider a development moratorium while the work proceeds. Provenzola said moratoriums are unlikely and that community development handles permits separately; he offered to arrange a follow-up meeting with community development staff to discuss permit timing and mitigation for driveway access.
The county presentation and maps of the proposed phasing are posted on the county website and were included in the public materials presented at the association meeting; staff encouraged residents to review those maps for detour routes and property-access commitments.
Ending: If residents continue to have questions about property access or overlapping construction, county staff asked them to provide specific addresses so the contractor and the county can work on accommodations; Public Works said it will follow up with schedule coordination with C-Tran and will post finalized detour maps once the contract is awarded.
