Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A proposed truck bypass for the city of Tekoa has moved ahead with approval of a grant application for an economic and engineering study.
At a public hearing Nov. 19 the city council voted to approve a CERB (Community Economic Revitalization Board) grant application for $51,200, which would require a 25 percent match from the town.
Part of that 25 percent would include $1,200 which the city spent last summer for a truck-count study, done by J.U.B. Engineers of Spokane.
The bypass project would create a route for grain rigs and other heavy trucks beginning at the north end of town, to run level along Hangman Creek, on Union-Pacific railroad right-of-way ground, connecting at the south end of town before the bridge.
Another option considered for the bypass route would be Ramsey Street, one block west of Crosby Street, the town’s main street and Highway 27.
“Ramsey Street has the same grade issues as Crosby but it’s already a street,” said Dave Kliewer, Spokane Area Manager for J.U.B. Engineering. “That’s one of the challenges of Crosby. Drivers have to apply a lot of gas or a lot of brakes.”
If approved, the CERB grant would break down as follows: $51,200 made up of $40,000 in CERB funds and $11,200 in matching funds from Tekoa, including the $1,200 already spent on the truck counter study.
The engineering part of the grant would include an environmental study.
Kliewer indicated that ecological issues regarding the bypass proposal may involve the shoreline of Hangman Creek, which the railroad right-of-way runs along, flood plain and/or soil matters.
“A lot will hinge on an environmental study, the railroad right-of-way being right along the creek,” said Tekoa City Councilman Roy Schulz. “There’s a lot of things to fall into place.”
Since Union Pacific owns the right-of-way, if a truck route is placed there, the city would need to negotiate for the land.
The results from the truck study last summer showed 100 to 250 heavy trucks per day passed through Tekoa in the last two weeks of August. The numbers include single loads, double (truck with separate trailer) and trains, truck-tractor with two trailers.
Analyzed by J.U.B., the figures indicated 1,049,650 freight tons per year going up and over the hill on Crosby Street in Tekoa.
The truck count was taken during harvest to find out what the worst case scenario is, and then the numbers were analyzed from there.
“It’s a significant number, not only for trucks, but it tells you that there’s a lot of weight,” said Kliewer. “And heavy trucks like that deteriorate roads.”
Schulz said the numbers were not as many as the city had hoped to see, but “in the ballpark.”
“The town, J.U.B. and others are all encouraged by the positive support we’ve received,” said Kliewer, noting comments received from T.I.B., Southeast Washington Economic Development Association and the Port of Whitman County.
“Based on this really positive feedback we’re receiving, it’s a worthy project.”
“A big part of this is economics,” said Schulz. “We’ve got to sell that there’s going to be an economic impact for the good.”
The town expects to hear a decision on the grant application from CERB at the end of January or early February.
“We’ll see if CERB thinks it has merit,” said Kliewer.
The railroad right-of-way is a quarter-mile stretch free of tracks, which were taken out in the 1980s.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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