County to begin 1.5 million in bridge, road safety projects

Whitman County will soon begin construction of nearly $1.5 million worth of federally funded road projects.

One project will replace what Public Works Director Mark Storey called the “incredible, jumping and moving” Hatley Bridge on Wawawai Road, which crosses Union Flat Creek just north of the Wawawai grade.

Storey said the 120-foot long bridge has moved more than a foot off its foundation since it was built in 1971.

Roughly $680,000 of federal bridge dollars will be used to fix the bridge.

Another $750,000 will be used to fund safety improvements on the county’s road system.

About $370,000 will be used to create a turn lane from the Pullman Airport Road onto O’Donnel Road. Storey said the airport road is being used more heavily, and residents of O’Donnel Road have complained that turning onto their road is hazardous.

The remainder will fund replacement of guard rails and removal of trees in road rights-of-way.

The federal money is distributed to local agencies by officials in the state Department of Transportation. The funding is intended to improve rural two-lane roads.

Storey said accidents on rural roads lead to more deaths per capita than do urban roadways.