By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Portions of State Route 161 in and near Eatonville will be resurfaced before the end of this summer. The facelift by the state Department of Transportation (DOT) is scheduled for two sections of the highway - one from just north of Lynch Street East in Eatonville to just south of the South Creek Bridge, near 395th Street East, and the other between 317th Street East and South Creek Bridge. DOT formally requested bids April 14 from contractors for the chip seal and asphalt overlay project. A bidder is expected to be awarded a contract this month, and work should begin in July and take about four weeks to finish, according to DOT. Doug Adamson, a spokesman for the agency, said work will be done after 9 a.m. to limit disruptions of the morning commute on weekdays, but drivers can expect one-way alternating traffic, with a pilot car guiding traffic through the work zone. An approximately half-mile of highway between the portions to be resurfaced won't receive any new paving because the road surface there doesn't need improving, officials said. The roadway slated for resurfacing is deteriorating and needs improvements before it requires more extensive repairs, Adamson said. Chip seal is a form of paving that preserves and extends the life of highways. With a backlog of highway maintenance, chip seals are an efficient way to limit wear and tear of road surfaces, according to DOT. In work zones on SR-161 or any other state highway, DOT urges motorists to pay attention and drive carefully. Inattention is the main cause of work zone accidents, most of which involve cars rear-ending the vehicle in front of them, according to DOT.
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