Expect one-way traffic on busy Gig Harbor street for 3 weeks during construction

Flaggers will direct one-way traffic through the intersection of 38th Avenue and 56th Street for the next three weeks while Puget Sound Energy crews relocate part of the underground natural gas pipeline.

The work begins Wednesday, and will follow typical work hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, per the city of Gig Harbor’s traffic alert. The work won’t affect natural gas service for PSE customers.

Besides reducing traffic lanes, the work will also impact some street parking, the alert says. Drivers will see “no parking signs” in the area before the work starts.

“In coordination with impacted residents in the area, driveway access will be maintained whenever possible,” the alert says. “Expect one-way alternating traffic with traffic control flaggers, uniformed police officers, and signs to guide vehicles and pedestrians safely around the work area.”

The city is gearing up for a lengthy construction project on 38th Avenue, a busy road that connects neighborhoods and other major roads in Gig Harbor. Named 38th Avenue Improvement Project Phase 2, the $12 million project is expected to cause “significant traffic disruptions that will run through 2027,” according to a handout shared at the city’s open house May 5.

Crews are expected to begin work in August. The city’s capital improvement projects portal says that the contractor, Active Construction, is scheduled to arrive on-site Aug. 3. Crews will start by setting up their construction yard and removing trees along the road.

“Once the city receives the final schedule of work we will communicate it out to the public,” the portal says.

The work on 38th Avenue Improvement Project Phase 2 will extend from 56th Street to Hunt Street, impacting two intersections. The city plans to add a new roundabout at 56th Street and roadway improvements along 38th Avenue, as well as upgrade the existing stormwater system and extend the gravity sewer line in the area. These changes are meant to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, improve the flow of traffic through the area and modernize the city’s infrastructure, according to the city’s May 5 handout.

The city is posting updates on the project in multiple places. Residents can sign up for Notify Me traffic alerts on the city’s website, check the city’s capital improvement projects portal for updates from public works staff, and read FAQs about the project on the city’s website. Maps showing the project design, future detours and rolling closures are also available online.