Agnew drivers should see a wider and smoother portion of Old Olympic Highway by the fall.

Clallam County commissioners voted earlier this month to award Jordan Excavating, Inc., of Port Angeles, a construction contract for $907,566.65 to widen and repave just over half a mile of the highway from the intersection of Barr/Gunn roads to the McDonald Creek bridge.

Rich Fox, county engineer, said the project follows a similar 2011 widening/repaving project to the west on the highway from Matson/Spring roads to Barr/Gunn roads.

The road will be widened to 40 feet and include guardrails. The total project will cost about $1.444 million with construction at $1.139 million and $990,000 of that from County Road Administration Board funds.

Fox said Jordan Excavating likely will begin May 5 and be done with Phase 1 about a week later. Drivers should expect one-lane traffic at times.

Afterward, Clallam PUD will erect new poles and put in new power lines over a span of about a month, Fox said.

Jordan Excavating will return tentatively in July for about a month to finish the road work.

Fox said during regular weekday work hours there will likely be one-lane traffic with a pilot car directing vehicles.

Construction crews also will remove the northern trees that serve as wind barriers on the north side of Agnew Field. Fox said the road widening will move a cut bank closer to the fields but the fields won’t be impacted.