North arterial proposed for development in Pullman

COLFAX — In the County Commissioners’ regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 20, during the 9 a.m. workshop, Public Works Director Mark Storey presented plans for a potential north arterial on the old highway in Pullman.

Storey told the commissioners that SR 276, a right of way, was purchased in the 1970s by the Department of Transportation (DOT).

They approached the WSDOT, which said they wouldn’t fund that but decided to see if Pullman and Whitman County would be interested in purchasing the right of way and transferring it to local jurisdiction.

The project would be paid for with an estimated $25 million in federal transportation money.

Storey said the Public Works Department has talked with the state in several initial meetings, discussing that the county does not need all the right of ways and what they can do with it moving forward.

In Storey’s presentation, there were six segments to the project. Segment One, US 195 to Brayton Road Intersection, at a total project cost of $24,906,438. Segment Two, Brayton Road Intersection and Realignment, has a total cost of $984,516. Segment Three, Brayton Road Intersection to North Grand Avenue, at $19,270,422. Segment Four, North Grand Avenue Intersection, roundabout, at $9,310,482. Segment Five, North Grand Avenue to Terre View Drive, at $15,794,591. Lastly, Segment Six, Terre View Drive Intersection, is at $3,965,541.

Commissioner Swannack asked if the answer to transfer it over was what they were sticking with.

“This was all developed with the idea of us just taking all that we need,” Storey said, noting that the other half is about access. “Limited access facility of on ramps and off ramps,” he said, noting that the city would be taking on a large portion, not the County Public Works.

Storey said that the right of way is complete to just shy of Airport Road, and because of the new terminal being built, an intersection would be too much.

“In the county, it would be a two-lane,” Storey said, adding that it would ultimately be a five-lane build-out with two lanes in the county and three lanes in the city.

In Storey’s presentation, he states that the scope of the work includes the development of roadway horizontal geometry and a vertical profile within the existing right of way for a three-lane interim roadway and a full build-out, five-lane roadway. In addition, this work includes a summary of Highway Access Management, key discussions with WSDOT staff, and a presentation to the Pullman City Council.

Storey shared a list of primary tasks that the project would require:

• A comprehensive topographic background map

• Gathering previous data, plans, and studies

• North Arterial Plan and Profile Drawings for Three Lane (Interim Build-out Section)

• North Arterial Plan and Profile Drawings for Five Lane (Ultimate Build-out) Section

• Conceptual Storm Drainage Patterns

• Right of Way (ROW) Exhibit Map (Ultimate Build-out)

• Engineer’s Opinion of Cost by Segment (Interim Build-out)

• North Arterial Technical Memorandum

• City Council Presentation

Storey said that work to date on the project is that the City of Pullman and Whitman County staff and the North Arterial Technical Memorandum have facilitated the start of the SR 276 right-of-way transfer from WSDOT with pending approval to proceed by the City Council and Commissioners.

The project is a glimpse of the corridor that will serve as a starting point for future planning, engineering, and construction of the proposed corridor.

Storey said that a similar presentation will be given at the Pullman City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 28, to get feedback on where the city stands concerning the proposed project.

Commissioner Michael Largent said it sounds like this is a very long-term strategy, to which Storey responded that this project would be for future generations.