Public Works Projects
Improving our infrastructure
Vancouver’s Public Works Department maintains and builds essential services and infrastructure to support a healthy, growing community.
As our community grows and we enhance services throughout Vancouver, we appreciate your patience and consideration as you travel slowly in construction zones. Remember to stay alert to workers, equipment, traffic changes and possible delays. General work hours for active construction projects are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, but can continue as late as 8 p.m. and include weekends if needed. Weather and construction conditions may impact schedules.
For questions about construction projects, call 360-487-7750 or email Construction Services.
West Fourth Plain Boulevard Water and Wastewater Sewer Project
Water and wastewater sewer utility improvements are being constructed on West Fourth Plain Boulevard and in the surrounding area, from Lincoln Avenue to Main Street. This project involves excavating a trench, installing new sewer and water mains, filling back in the trench and finally restoring pavement.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. There will be some construction done at night to minimize traffic disruptions along this busy corridor. Night work hours are anticipated from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday.
Project timeline: Early December 2023 through May 2024
Fourth Plain Boulevard ADA Curb Ramp Project
Sidewalk curb ramps along Fourth Plain Boulevard, from Fort Vancouver Way to Andresen Road, will be upgraded to improve pedestrian accessibility in keeping with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. This work is part of the annual Pavement Management Program and is in advance of coming street pavement improvements along Fourth Plain. Construction of new ADA-compliant curb ramps will occur at about 20 street corners along the corridor.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: March through July 2024
Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard Stormwater Project
Crews are constructing improved stormwater collection and treatment systems along Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard, between Northeast 123rd Avenue and Northeast 131st Avenue. There will be impacts to traffic along Fourth Plain during this work.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: Work is anticipated from now through May 2024
East 18th Street Pedestrian Project
Work is expected to begin during the week of March 18, to install a set of new pedestrian signals on East 18th Street, just west of General Anderson Avenue, to improve the street crossing along the Burnt Bridge Creek trail. This enhancement will use a pedestrian-activated rapid flashing yellow beacon, one facing east and one facing west, to help alert and slow traffic as community members cross East 18th Street.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: March through early May 2024
Devine Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Project
Construction is mainly completed for pedestrian and bicycle enhancements along North Devine Road, between Idaho Street and the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail crossing. Crews replaced the existing path along the west side of Devine Road, from Idaho Street to the Burnt Bridge Creek trail, with a wider ADA-compliant, multi-use path for walkers and bike riders. One final utility pole will be removed, and then final panels of pervious sidewalk will be installed to fully complete the project.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: Late 2022 though early summer 2024
Northeast 192nd Avenue and Northeast 13th St Intersection Project
Improvements include adding a new right-turn lane along Northeast 192nd Avenue heading northbound at Northeast 13th Street and widening Northeast 13th Street as it approaches Northeast 192nd Avenue. Crews will construct ADA-compliant curb ramps, enhance overhead street lighting and modify signal timing at the end of project. Work is currently suspended while awaiting the arrival of the new signal poles and pedestrian push buttons. When work resumes, watch for closures at this intersection and detours using other streets.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: Early February through end of April 2024
Blandford Basins Stormwater Project
The City of Vancouver was awarded a $3 million Washington Department of Ecology Water Quality grant to improve rain water (stormwater) runoff in the area known as the Blandford Basins, which lies within a wellhead protection area and the Columbia River watershed.
Currently, stormwater runoff from parcels and streets in this overall area flows untreated to the canyon along Blandford Drive and into the Columbia River. This project will use underground stormwater treatment devices and one rain garden at South Cliff Park in both the South Cliff and Dubois Park neighborhood to help treat runoff.
Water Quality Design Elements: Community members contributed feedback that led to adjustments in the final design. This water quality improvement project has shifted to the use of filter cartridge catch basins that are underground treatment devices. They house rechargeable, media-filled cartridges that trap particulates and adsorb pollutants from stormwater runoff. The catch basins are generally maintained once a year which includes vacuuming out sediment and replacing the filter cartridge by City Operations crews.
A rain garden, or bioretention cell, will be installed at South Cliff Park. Rain gardens manage rain water runoff by allowing it to soak into the ground where special soil and vegetation can help filter out pollutants. This infiltration improves the quality of the water which eventually flows to rivers and streams or seeps into groundwater. Attractive streetscape planters can be designed to accommodate the diverse traffic needs of cars, pedestrians and bicycles.
When completed, these new underground treatment devices and the one neighborhood rain garden will capture stormwater runoff that currently flows untreated to the Blandford Drive stormwater drainage system.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: Anticipated for May through August 2024
Water Station 5 Project
This improvement project will help improve water flow and seismic stability for Water Station 5, located on 5.3 acres along the north side of East Mill Plain Boulevard and west of Devine Road, adjacent to Vancouver Fire Department’s Heights Fire Station No. 3, in the Heights District Planning Area. Vancouver Water Station 5’s 8-million gallon rectangular reservoir was constructed in 1942, and its booster pump station and 750,000-gallon elevated tower were constructed in 1954.
To improve this critical water station, the Utility will undertake an important project to eliminate seismic deficiencies that were highlighted in a 2015 study by replacing the existing 1940s reservoir with two 4-million gallon wire-wrapped concrete reservoirs and by replacing the pump station. In addition, the project will include electrical, instrumentation and security upgrades at Water Station 5. Frontage improvements will be installed along Mill Plain Boulevard and Idaho Street, consistent with the Heights District Redevelopment Plan.
Construction began in late November 2021, and work continues on this important long-planned Water Station 5 Improvement Project. All construction will occur within the Water Station 5 site. However, increased trucks and other activity to/from the site can be expected at times on East Mill Plain Boulevard and Idaho Street. Construction is anticipated to take multiple years.
Water Station 5’s 750,000-gallon elevated tower was seismically retrofit with structural upgrades in 2018 and will remain in service throughout this project.
Work hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Project timeline: Several years, starting in November 2021