Construction bids opened this week for West Fir Street, one of the City of Sequim’s biggest road projects in recent years.

Bids tentatively close on March 15 for the approximate $5 million project that reconstructs half-a-mile of roadway from Sequim Avenue to Fifth Avenue.

Construction is expected to last 18 months and could begin as soon as April following Sequim city councilors’ approval of construction contractors.

“By the time we analyze bids and get contracts signed, we’re going to be into April, and depending on what the contractor is ready to work we’ll start in April or May,” said Sequim Public Works Director David Garlington.

In the call for bids, city staff said improvements include a number of installations including new water, sewer and irrigation piping, curbs and gutters, and much more.

Overhead utilities will also be buried during the project.

Construction crews will widen Fir Street to 45 feet from Sequim Avenue to Fourth Avenue and 53 feet from Fourth to Fifth avenues — including two 5-foot-wide bike lanes from Sequim to Fourth and two 6-foot-wide bike lanes from Fourth to Fifth.

City staff previously stated that traffic studies indicated a traffic light is needed for the intersection of Fir Street and Fifth Avenue while the intersection of Sequim Avenue and Fir Street sees less demand for traffic.

Crews will install “pedestrian activated rectangular rapid flashing beacons” to signs at Sequim Avenue and Fir Street to indicate a pedestrian is crossing.

Possibly the biggest disturbance for drivers and residents is that Fir Street will become one-way and one lane going west at times during construction. However, city staff said drivers will be able to turn on Second, Third and Fourth avenues.

Crews will also permanently open up a portion of Helen Haller Elementary’s parking lot between Sequim School District’s bus drop-off area and the school’s parking to be one-way that exits into the western parking lot. City staff previously said bus parking will remain unaffected.

In total, the city paid about $375,000 for right-of-way purchases from Fir Street residents and the Sequim School District.

Part of that purchase includes right-of-way that will move the district’s parking lots and softball fields 4 to 5 feet north and include landscaping buffers.

Funding for this project partly came from the Federal Highway Administration, Washington State Department of Transportation and Washington State Department of Ecology.

City staff also opened up bids for multiple other elements of the project through March 22, including surveying, roadway material testing and a firm to work with various elements such as change orders, inspections and more.

For more information about the West Fir Street Rehabilitation project, call Sequim Public Works at 360-683-4908 or visit www.sequimwa.gov.