Settlement of the concrete workers strike Friday means work can begin soon on the repaving of 1.5 miles of California Avenue from Edmunds Street to Admiral Way.

Gary Merlino Construction Co. was scheduled to begin preparation of the arterial street in mid-August but was held back because of the strike, which began Aug. 1. Construction projects throughout King County have been similarly delayed but can now continue.

California Avenue's surface is made of asphalt, but the road base beneath is concrete. Engineers anticipate that much of the road base will have to be replaced, said Gregg Hirakawa, spokesman for the Seattle Department of Transportation.

The first section of California Avenue to be repaved will be from Edmunds Street to about Genesee Street.

The city transportation department approved a "notice to proceed" that could've gotten work on California Avenue started Aug. 21, Hirakawa said. But it was decided to keep the street intact rather than start tearing up even a small portion only to have to divert traffic while waiting for the strike to be settled.

Negotiators for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 succeeded in getting back the right to honor picket lines of other labor unions at other job sites, which is a long-held tradition in the labor movement. The Operating Engineers union negotiated away that privilege in 2003 and wanted it back, along with a wage increase, said Randy Loomis, director of governmental affairs for the union.

During contract negotiations back in 2003, Loomis recalled, the Boeing Co. was threatening to leave Washington and unemployment was running at about 8 percent. "The owners had us over a barrel," she said.

Things are far different these days. Construction projects have been roaring all over King County, including Sound Transit's light rail line and construction of the third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport. The owners of concrete plants are making a lot of money, Loomis said. Concrete workers wanted to share the wealth as well as regain previously won rights.

According to Loomis, the statewide average for concrete workers is $27 an hour, while concrete workers in Seattle get $12 to $14 per hour, with a maximum of $23.91.

The Operating Engineers union aimed to win an $8 per hour raise spread over the next three years. They finally accepted a $3.95 per hour raise over three years.

With so many construction projects delayed in getting concrete, it is unclear exactly when the repaving of California Avenue will begin, although work is expected to start soon. The city has a signed contract for the job with concrete delivery dates, Hirakawa said. But the project is competing with other projects with pent-up demand so the timing and allocation of concrete deliveries probably will be re-evaluated.

In addition to repaving much of California Avenue, the project also will repave sections of Admiral Way from California Avenue to the Admiral Viewpoint.

Tim St. Clair can be contacted at tstclair@robinsonnews.com or 932-0300.