SEL constructing road at Port industrial park

A new road project is underway at the Port of Whitman County industrial park in Pullman.

Representatives from Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL) met with port commissioners in July regarding the road project and are now moving forward with it.

The road, which will be on SEL property in the Port, will run parallel to NE Hopkins Court beginning at NE Terre View and ending at NE Hickman Court, according to a news release from SEL.

Already in place at the construction site is a dirt road, which will now be paved and improved into a functioning road. According to the news release, the already existing road will be widened and paved and sidewalks and street lights will be added. The road will be a one-way from Terre View to Faraday Lane before converting to a two-way road which will end at NE Hickman Court.

Though the road is on SEL property and will mainly be used by employees, it will be open to the public.

“The big benefit to the project is even though it will be a private road anyone can drive on it,” said Port Executive Director Joe Pioré.

Pioré said with the addition of another paved road in the Port’s industrial park, it will make the flow of traffic less congested and able to be redirected throughout the entire park.

Schweitzer architect Kirk Morris, who met with port commissioners about the project in July, cited congestion in the park as the main reason for this project.

“The Port has matured over the last 30 years and traffic flow is congested,” SEL Director of Property Management Jana Schultheis said. “This project will ease the traffic flow for our employees, semi-trucks and emergency vehicles.”

The road is currently closed for the construction, but it will reopen in late November, according to the news release. Additionally, traffic will be affected on NE Terre View Drive, but flaggers will direct the traffic.

Improving the road, which will be named Maxwell Drive to honor James C. Maxwell, a 19th century pioneer in chemistry and physics, will only be one part of the project.

SEL also plans to improve the Hopkins Court and Terre View intersection, with Morris citing back-ups there, poor sight lines, the lack of a crosswalk in the intersection and a lack of night light as issues that need to be corrected.

The plans there include relocating the island at the entrance to the Port, relocating and redesigning the Port sign, and expanding Hopkins Court to two lanes.

The island is expected to be pulled back to improve sight lines for drivers, as the current bushes and trees have proved problematic for drivers, as has the Port sign, which stands more than six feet tall and blocks the view to the left.

The Port sign is also going to be relocated from the middle of the island to the sidewalk at the entrance. It will also be redesigned to include the names of businesses in the Port, which will replace several sandwich boards that currently sit on the corner.