Project Facts
- The 2005 Transportation Partnership Funding Package funds this improvement project.
- This project will improve safety for the narrow, two-lane section of SR 240 from SR 24 to Richland.
- The project will go to Advertisement in January 2009 with construction to begin later in the spring.
November 2008
• Environmental Documentation is complete and WSDOT received the shoreline permit for work near the Yakima River.
• Constructability and work zone traffic control review is complete.
This project will improve safety for the narrow, two-lane section of SR 240 from SR 24 to Richland.
Why is WSDOT
improving this highway?
In the past six years, seven people have lost their lives and five incurred disabling injuries in serious accidents on the two-lane section of SR 240. The narrow roadway and four-foot wide shoulders provide little recovery room in the event of an unsafe passing attempt by an impatient traveler. This portion of SR 240 is a main route for Hanford commuters, and peak traffic can be as heavy as 95% in one direction. Passenger vehicles share the two-lane road with large trucks hauling nearly two million tons of freight each year.
The End Result
These improvements will reduce the number of accidents along this route and provide a safer road for motorists.
Project Benefits
- Safety. The design will improve safety for 18 miles by widening the narrow roadway to 12 ft lanes and 8 ft shoulders from Beloit Road (west Hanford Gate) to Kingsgate Way, near Richland.
What is the project timeline?
Design work on this project began in the spring of 2006, and construction will start in spring 2009.
Public Involvement
Your thoughts and opinions are important to us. Please contact the project office with comments or questions.
Environmental Protection
The appropriate environmental documentation will be completed for the project to address potential environmental issues. As preliminary designs are refined, environmental issues will be evaluated and appropriate mitigation developed. WSDOT is committed to protecting the environment, and makes every effort to assess and minimize negative impacts from highway improvement projects.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental
Services Web site for more information.
Increasing safety is one of our priorities
These roadway improvements will reduce the number of accidents along SR 240.
Will this project impact tribal resources?
At WSDOT we seek to address the concerns of the tribal nations using the process outlined in Section 106 of The National Historic Preservation Act and the WSDOT Tribal Consultation Policy adopted in 2003 by the Transportation Commission as part of the WSDOT Centennial Accord Plan.
WSDOT will consult with the Yakama Nation, the Wanapum Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Nation, Nez Perce Tribe, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) during the project design.
Financial Information
This project is funded through the following sources*:
- 2005 Transportation Partnership Package - $16.9 million
- Total Funding Available from all sources - $16.9 million
*As approved in the 2008 Supplemental Transportation Budget.
For project schedules and updates, please see the Quarterly Project Report.
How can I get more information?
Contact:
Project Engineer, Moe Davari
WSDOT South Central Project Office
1655 Fowler Street
Richland, WA 99352
Phone: 509.222.2402
E-mail:DavariM@wsdot.wa.gov
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