Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A possible pedestrian bridge at Hayton Greene Park in Palouse may be on its way.
The city was nominated in November for a grant as part of a new program of the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board called “The Complete Streets Award,” which focuses on alternative forms of transportation.
The T.I.B. program requires a nomination from a list of board-approved state agencies and non-profit organizations such as Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
The state Department of Commerce made the nomination for Palouse. The footbridge across the North Fork of the Palouse River would connect the park at a point near the swimming pool to a spot 50 yards down from the Ancel Jeffers Lions Club Park.
Kyle Dixon, Palouse city administrator, indicated that the project ties into plans to better connect the south hill of Palouse to the park.
A sidewalk has been proposed on Palouse Cove Road to Highway 27 where a crosswalk would be installed.
Pedestrians could walk into Lions Club Park and up a short path along the river to the footbridge and cross into the Hayton-Greene Park.
The town has an increase of residents in the south hill part of town with two new housing developments in recent years.
“The south end of town is the part that’s expanding,” said Dixon.
Palouse expects to find out in March for what could be up to a $300,000 grant.
Since the Palouse project was nominated, the city’s next task is to write out a plan for installing the bridge with a $100,000, $200,000 or a $300,000 grant. Dixon is working with T.I.B. engineers on this now with a mid-February deadline.
Recipients will be announced March 21-22 at their monthly board meeting at the Red Lion Hotel Hanford House in Richland.
T.I.B. has received nominations for 46 cities for the award.
The first Complete Streets awards were granted in January 2017.
Eligible entities are any city or county in the state which shows a commitment to plan and build streets to accommodate users including pedestrians, transit users, cyclists and motorists.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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