November 2009
- WSDOT is on schedule to complete the project design and advertise the project for bids in November 2009.
- The construction phase of this project is fully funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The Federal stimulus funds allow WSDOT to deliver this crucial improvement on its original schedule. Due to funding constraints, the Governor's budget had moved construction out six years.
This interchange provides access to and from I-82 for Union Gap and Yakima. WSDOT needs to update and improve the interchange in order to provide additional capacity, free up movement on and off the interstate, and connect smoothly with the expanding local road system.
Why is WSDOT
improving the interchange?
The Valley Mall Boulevard interchange serves a growing retail and commercial area in Union Gap and southwest Yakima. The area is experiencing increasingly heavy traffic congestion, which begins with the limited capacity of the Valley Mall Interchange.
Our Partners
Local city, county and WSDOT officials are planning collaboratively with area business owners to bring about this much needed improvement. A public meeting was held in March 2003 and in March 2008 to request public opinion regarding several conceptual design options.
The End Result
The Valley Mall Boulevard interchange will be reconfigured to provide better, more direct access to and from I-82, and access to N. Rudkin Rd. A frontage road serving trucking and commercial businesses will be realigned to provide improved access. Improved connections to the interstate will encourage economic growth and development for both Union Gap and Yakima.
Project Benefits
- Economic vitality. Local community and business leaders targeted improving this interchange and the South Union Gap interchange as a top priority for economic growth and vitality. Congestion and lack of easy access will limit the development of additional retail and commercial business. Improved freeway access to and from the newly extended Valley Mall Boulevard will open up new areas for development.
- Freight mobility. These improvements will provide better interstate access for five local T-2 (4 million - 10 million tons of freight carried per year) and T-3 (300,000 - 4 million tons of freight carried per year) classified freight routes, including N. Rudkin Road, W. Ahtanum Road, and E. Washington Avenue.
- Safety. Unsafe conditions due to ramp traffic backing-up onto I-82 will be eliminated with the new configuration. Better traffic flow in the interchange area will reduce collisions due to congestion and impatient drivers.
- Congestion relief. This interchange frequently becomes a chokepoint because of its limited capacity. This improvement will eliminate congestion backing up onto I-82, and provide much improved free-flowing access onto the interstate and Valley Mall Blvd.
- System efficiencies. The improved configuration will optimize travel through the interchange and on Valley Mall Blvd. as well.
- Jobs. We estimate this project will support 180 jobs over the life of the project. This includes jobs on the project, jobs producing materials for the project, and other jobs in the local community.
- Health/Environment. Access to the local ten-mile long Yakima Greenway pedestrian/bicycle path will be improved, which will further encourage healthy activities for the community. The Greenway path reaches parks, fishing lakes, and river access landings.
What is the project timeline?
The project design and right of way acquisition are on schedule to be completed in fall 2009. The Governor’s 2009 budget proposes delaying construction beyond the six-year budget to 2016. The Federal stimulus funds allow WSDOT to deliver this crucial improvement on its original schedule, with construction starting spring 2010.
Financial Information
This project is funded through the following sources*:
Federal funding
2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - $30.8 million
Existing Federal - 2.0 million
State funding
Transportation Partnership Account – $5.4 million
Existing Funds - $0.06 million
Local Funding
Existing Funds - $0.3 million
Total Funding Available from all sources - $38.6 million
*The information shown reflects the current proposed project budget and schedule.
For more information about other projects funded by the stimulus package, please visit our Economic Recovery and Reinvestment page.
For project schedules and updates, please see the Quarterly Project Report.
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Development Branch Project Engineer, Jeff Minnick
WSDOT South Central Project Office
PO Box 12560
Yakima, WA 98909
Phone: 509.577.1704
mailto:minnicj@wsdot.wa.gov
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