County asks feds to fund Airport Road redo

Whitman County and the city of Pullman are working to secure an estimated $15 million federal appropriation via U.S. Sen. Patty Murray for a complete rebuild and reconfiguration of the Pullman Airport Road.

Mark Storey, Whitman County public works director, said Monday that the plan calls for moving the road just north of its current location and widening it to three lanes.

He added the project would include acquisition of land for future expansion of the road into five lanes.

In noting Sen. Murray is up for re-election this year, County Commisioner Greg Partch said the county may never be in a better position to get federal funding for the project.

“She’s at the top of her game in the senate,” he said.

Storey was a little more cautious about the county’s chances of receiving any federal funds.

“If we don’t get it here, we’re better positioned to secure funding for it in the future,” said Storey.

Storey and Partch briefed Port of Whitman commissioners on the plan during a joint meeting Monday afternoon.

Replacing the road would smooth out some of the “nasty curves” on the current road, and would accommodate increased use of the road to connect Moscow and Pullman.

“The need for transportation is there. It’s being used to connect the universities and the airport,” said Storey.

The airport road runs along the north edge of the airport, while State Route 270, the main connection between the two cities, runs south of the airport.

Traffic on the airport road has increased significantly over the past four years.

Storey said an estimated 2,000 cars traveled the road before the 2007 widening of the Pullman-Moscow Highhway to four lanes. During construction on the highway, traffic on the Airport Road rose to near 10,000 cars per day when commuters tried to avoid the construction delays.

After the highway project was finished, traffic on the Airport Road did not return to pre-construction levels, Storey said. Approximately 5,000 vehicle now use the connection every day, often at speeds well in excess of the 35 mile per hour speed limit which is posted along the road segment until east of the airport.

The wider road could allow a higher speed limit, possibly up to 45 mph, Storey said.

The $15 million figure, Storey said, is a rough estimate.

A finalized plan is still being put together by Storey and Pullman Public Works Director Mark Workman. Storey said they “hatched this plan” about two weeks ago.

More than two miles of the road on the west end are within Pullman City limits. Approximately four miles of the Airport Road on the east end are are under the county’s jurisdiction.

In addition to the increased use of the road, it needs to be moved to accommodate a planned realignment of the airport runway.

Commissioner Partch said Robb Parrish, manager of the airport, reported to him that the Federal Aviation Administration has told him to expect funding for a realignment within the next 10 years.

Moving the runway would allow larger planes to use the airport. It would also take flight paths away from the university.

“That current approach and take-off over campus is getting a lot of attention right there,” said Port Commissioner John Love.

The re-alignment of the runway would also provide room for new hangar space at the airport. Moving the road to the north would also leave room for business growth at the airport, added Storey.

Commissioner Partch said Schweitzer Engineering’s newest jets are currently being housed at the Lewiston Airport because the Pullman-Moscow airport is out of hangar space.

Port Commissioner Dan Boone asked if the county could include the installation of water and fiber optic lines along the right-of-way of the new road during construction.

Storey said that option would add to the cost and may lessen the chances of receiving federal funds.

The public works director did say he and Workman are considering including a bike path in the right-of-way along the road, which would secure property for installation of utilities.