Mid-Columbia cities receive $8.2 million in funding for transportation projects

Nine Tri-Cities area projects received $8.2 million in state funding, including for new roundabouts in the busy Queensgate area shopping area that’ll be home to the Tri-Cities’ second Costco.

The funding from the Washington Transportation Improvement Board also will pay for a new traffic signal at a West Richland four-way stop intersection and several pedestrian improvements.

The board awarded $145 million to 179 projects across the state during its November meeting, with the funds coming from eight different programs.

Cities and counties submitted nearly 350 applications since calls for funding requests opened in May.

Benton County

• Richland: Duportail Street roundabouts from Keene Road to Queensgate Drive, $1.6 million from Urban Arterial Program. The project involves building roundabouts at the intersection of Duportail Street and Kennedy Road, and Duportail and the entrance to the Vintner Square shopping center. Additionally, a median will be built starting at Keene and extending past Target and Walmart to Queensgate, creating a physical barrier to better manage turning movements.
• Richland: George Washington Way sidewalk from Comstock Street to Bradley Boulevard, $850,000 from Urban Active Transportation Program. The city will install an eight-foot wide accessible sidewalk at Comstock Street and Bradley Boulevard.
• West Richland: South Highlands Boulevard and Keene Road intersection improvements, $782,000 from Urban Arterial Program. The city will install pedestrian facilities on the south side corners with curb, gutter and ramps. Currently a four-way stop, a traffic signal will provide for both traffic movements and protected pedestrian crossings to tie the south neighborhoods into the regional pathway system.
• West Richland: Keene Road overlay between Bombing Range Road and Kennedy Road, $400,000 from Arterial Preservation Program. The city will grind the roadway down by two inches before spreading a new overlay and putting down paint lines.
• Prosser: Alexander Court improvements from Highland Drive to Paterson Avenue, $909,000 from Urban Arterial Program. Improvements include new pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks and ramps, striping, street lighting and improved storm drainage facilities. The project also will widen Alexander Court on the south end.
• Benton City: 2025 seal application in multiple locations, $553,777 from Small City Preservation Program.

Franklin County

• Connell: 2025 crack seal application in multiple locations, $108,300 from Small City Maintenance Program. The city will clean and fill cracks with hot poured crack sealant.
• Connell: West Fir Street sidewalk improvements, $492,000 from Complete Streets Program. This project will promote pedestrian access for the residents adjacent to the project area and citywide access to Striker Park. The city will install a cement concrete sidewalk, traffic curb and gutter as needed for compliance, sidewalk ramps and crosswalk lines along West Fir Street.

Walla Walla County

• Walla Walla: Myra Road south extension from Highway 125 to Taumarson Road, $2.5 million from Urban Arterial Program. The Myra Road South Extension Project will extend Myra from its present terminus at Highway 125 south to Taumarson Road linking the south Walla Walla area with Highway 12 and providing direct access to more than 50 acres of commercial and residential zoned vacant land south of the state highway.