Feds pledge nearly $12M for GWay safety overhaul in Richland
There were high fives aplenty at Richland City Hall this week over news the feds will kick in nearly $12 million to revamp George Washington Way as a one-way street.
Pete Rogalsky, public works director, said the city was caught by surprise when U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., announced via press release that Richland would receive $11.7 million from the Department of Transportation.
The Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program fleshes out the budget to turn George Washington Way and Jadwin Avenue into one-way streets through the heart of the city.
Rogalsky was waiting for official confirmation of the award, but he welcomed the news that Richland’s application had succeeded.
“We haven’t responded or internalized the news much, other than a few high fives around the office,” he said, after learning of the grant from the Herald.
The city recently delayed the so-called “couplet” project until 2025 to give itself time to develop designs and round up the $16 million to $20 million it estimates it will cost.
It previously nailed down $4 million. The DOT money, together with a pending award from the Benton Franklin Council of Governments, puts the project close to the “finish line,” he said.
Thoughful start
Rogalsky said they plan to stick with the 2025 estimated construction start. It’s important, he said, to get the timing right.
“We’ll want to be really thoughtful about when it starts,” he said.
The couplet project will turn George Washington into a one way, northbound corridor between Jadwin Avenue and Symons Street.
Southbound traffic will be rerouted between Symons and the spot where Jadwin merges with George Washington near Columbia Point.
The city sees massive benefits to traffic and safety in rethinking how traffic moves through the heart of downtown.
Together, George Washington and Jadwin offer nine traffic lanes. The project will reduce that by three, providing additional space for bicycle lanes, sidewalks and even on-street parking.
548 crashes
Cantwell said the grant will address significant safety concerns in the release that notes there were 548 crashes, including four fatalities and 152 injuries, within the project boundaries over a five-year span.
“Not only will this grant improve safety, but it will also strengthen the economic vitality of Richland’s downtown by improving access to the John Dam Plaza and the (Columbia River) waterfront,” she said in the press release.
Richland received one of three Washington cities to receive multi-million dollar grants to implement projects. The others were awarded to the cities of Spokane and Vancouver.
The Department of Transportation also issues planning grants.
The cities of Pasco and Prosser received $320,000 and $150,000, respectively, to develop safety action plans. The Benton Franklin Council of Governments was awarded $320,000 to develop plans to ensure safe routes to schools.
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