No roundabout for So. Aberdeen; other work planned for Aberdeen and Westport

A roundabout is now off-the-table for the base of the Chehalis River Bridge, but other projects to improve safety are coming to South Aberdeen and Westport.

The Washington State Department of Transportation tells KXRO that a project to make sidewalk and intersection improvements on the State Route 105 Spur in Westport will kick off at the end of May.

Crews will also upgrade traffic signals and make pedestrian improvements on US 101 in South Aberdeen.

Crews are scheduled to start work on Tuesday, May 30, to begin removing an aging traffic signal at the intersection of the SR 105 Spur/West Ocean Avenue and South Montesano Street in Westport.

Stop signs will replace this signal, which has been flashing red for several years.

This follows a Washington State Department of Transportation review of traffic counts and needs at this location. The decision to make the switch to stop signs cuts the significant cost of a new traffic signal installation as well as ongoing maintenance costs.

Once the Westport location is complete, crews will begin rebuilding the traffic signals at the intersection of US 101 and SR 105 in South Aberdeen.

The existing traffic signals near the base of the Chehalis River Bridge have reached the end of their service life and need to be replaced.

WSDOT said that while initially considered a roundabout at the intersection, an in-depth review determined a roundabout was not a good fit there.

The sidewalks at both locations also will get facelifts and upgrades to improve these crossings for all users under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Travelers on US 101 in South Aberdeen will see a combination of one lane closures in each direction or one-lane alternating traffic controlled by a flagger.

The single-lane closures may bring up to 15-minute delays. Travelers can expect daytime or nighttime work.

In Westport on SR 105, crews will alternate one-direction of traffic at a time during working hours. Most of that work will take place during the day.

Temporary sidewalk closures with pedestrian detours will also occur at both locations.

The contractor, Quigg Bros., Inc., expects to complete this project by fall 2023.

WSDOT will announce lane closures in advance on the WSDOT app and real-time map.

WSDOT urges drivers to slow down when passing through work zones to keep crews and all roadway users safe.

Travelers can sign up for Grays Harbor County email updates to get the latest information on road work.