Airport road closure extended until May 31

Closure of Colfax Airport Road to through traffic was extended through May 31 by Whitman County Monday.

The county closed the road two weeks ago for installation of new culverts for Rebel Flat Creek which flows beneath the road near the west end of the airport.

The road was originally slated to re-open to through traffic this weekend, but a slate of incidents prompted Public Works Director Mark Storey to call for the closure through spring.

Too subtle?

Despite prominent signs marking the closure of Colfax Airport Road, many drivers have tried to pass through the construction zone, prompting the county to keep the road closed until construction is finished next spring.

“There have just been too many incidents,” Storey told county commissioners Monday. “I’m afraid if we open it up during construction, it will just lead to more.”

The closure impacts through traffic on the road which has long been a Colfax bypass route for WSU traffic.

Despite the closure, the airport will be accessible via the east end off Almota Road. Traffic from the west will be able to travel up to the Duncan Springs Road intersection.

The county shops and the McGregor’s headquarters remain acceissible via the west end of the road at the fairground intersection.

Crews with DeAtley Construction of Clarkston have been working on a rebuild of the 3.1-mile road since September. The plan is to prepare a new base for the road and let it settle over the winter before paving in the spring. DeAtley won the contract with a bid of $2,599,431.

The same winter settlement approach was used for segments of the Almota Road which have been upgraded by the county over the past eight years.

Storey said traffic on the road has proved too dangerous for both drivers and construction workers.

Several vehicles have tried to travel down the road during construction, imperiling construction workers even while the road has been posted closed.

“These are big orange signs. They are not exactly hard to notice,” said Storey.

Three cars traveling together over this past weekend drove around barricades and past flaggers into the work zone before getting stuck in the exposed dirt and gravel of the construction zone, said Storey.

“This is with the road closed,” said Storey. “What would happen if we opened it?”

The closure means the popular alternative for WSU traffic will be shut down for the Cougar football team’s two remaining home games, Nov. 10 Dad’s weekend game against UCLA and the Nov. 23 Apple Cup with the University of Washington.