Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The West Whitman Street project in Palouse remains on hold, awaiting completion of railroad work by the Washington State Department of Transportation and its designer, H.D.R. Engineering of Spokane.
Munir Daud, Palouse consulting engineer, said he has documents ready to be posted for bid once WSDOT is finished.
“We are waiting for them to complete the design,” Daud said. “I don't know why they're dragging their feet. It's frustrating. Every time we set a date, those guys aren't ready for it.”
The work was originally set for last summer for a project that would extend the 2008 East Whitman Street revitalization project.
The West Whitman work is to include replacing a 550-foot section of street and railroad tracks – with a new drainage system – as well as sidewalks, curb, gutter and lighting.
In 2015, the Washington state legislature pledged $280,000 for West Whitman in Palouse as part of a $16 billion transportation package. The money will pay for the railroad work to be done simultaneously with the street work.
In November 2015, the project was also approved for a grant through the Transportation Improvement Board. The $370,500 approval followed the denial of Palouse's application in 2014.
WSDOT had already pledged $30,000 to the proposed project.
All told, the T.I.B. grant, state funds, WSDOT money and $22,000 from the City of Palouse's arterial streets fund is expected to cover all costs.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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