The Washington state Department of Transportation expects two projects worth a combined $7.2 million to get under way soon on busy U.S. 395 between the Spokane County line and Immel Road, near Chewelah, Wash.

The work is being paid for with federal stimulus money, says DOT spokesman Al Gilson. A Bend, Ore., division of Bismark, N.D.-based Knife River has been awarded one of the projects and is the low bidder on the other, Gilson says.

The DOT has awarded a $1.7 million contract to Bend Ore.-based Hap Taylor & Sons Inc., which is part of Knife River, to repave a nearly seven-mile section of U.S. 395 between the Spokane County line, which is a few miles north of Deer Park, and Loon Lake. Also, the department is reviewing bids for similar work on a 22.5-mile stretch of U.S. 395 between the northern point of that first project, at Loon Lake, and Immel Road, which is about five miles north of Chewelah. Hap Taylor & Sons is the apparent low bidder for that project, with a bid of $5.4 million, Gilson says.

The roadway needs to be resurfaced because it's aging, he says.

"If you drive some of these highways, it's been a while since some of them have been paved. The wear and tear on U.S. 395 is very evident," Gilson says.

A variety of work will be done along the projects' route in what is considered paving maintenance, he says.

"These projects are a combination of overlays and what we call grind and inlays, cold in-place recycled asphalt, and hot-mix asphalt," he says. In the towns that the highway passes through, some curb and sidewalk upgrades will be done as well, and guardrails will be repaired or upgraded at various spots, Gilson says.

During the work, which likely will begin early this summer and is expected to take a combined about 20 weeks to complete, the roadway under construction will be reduced to single-lane traffic directed by flaggers, Gilson says.