Date:  Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Contact: Jeff Adamson, North Central Region Communications Manager, Wenatchee, (509) 667-2815, (509) 669-8778 Cell. E-mail: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov
Jennene Ring, North Central Region Traffic Engineer, Wenatchee (509) 667-3080

WENATCHEE – As of Tuesday, July 22nd, private contractor bids are being solicited to construct a safety improvement project at the intersection of US 2/97 and School Street, north of Wenatchee, by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). 19 collisions including two serious disabling injury crashes over the last five years prompted the project. Bids will be opened on August 7th and a contract should be awarded later in the month.

Back on May 15th, WSDOT held an open house at the Sunnyslope School to find out what people thought about our proposal to put concrete barrier in the highway median that would block left turns at the intersection. The barrier would have allowed only right-in and right-out turns at both the northern and southern legs of School Street. As a result of the feedback from the open house, the project was re-designed.

The new design now allows westbound traffic to turn left, across the two eastbound lanes, to access the southern leg of School Street and the motel. In addition to a request from the motel's new owner, Chelan County Fire Captain Phil Moser registered his concerns about getting fire trucks to the hill top neighborhood in a timely manner if solid barrier was installed. The revised design was endorsed by the Chelan County Commissioners in early June.

A grant from the "low cost safety enhancement" program set up by the last legislature has been received to make the intersection modifications.

Traffic impact should involve only limited center lane closures for the few days it will take to finish the work.

Putting median barrier across the intersection to reduce collisions was originally identified as a “short term” solution in the 2002 US 2/97 Big Y to Easy St. Corridor Study. It was also the solution included in the metropolitan transportation plan recently completed by the Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council. It is also referenced in Chelan County's recently completed Sunnyslope sub-area plan. The ‘02 Corridor study also included a long term solution - a new interchange - which is currently unfunded, that would service traffic from School Street and Lower Sunnyslope Road, a mile to the west. The need for an interchange to serve the area continues to grow with 2,500 more residential lots in the Sunnyslope area north of the intersection currently proposed.

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