Status update on Palouse grade signal

Colfax mayor-elect Jim Retzer reported to the city council Nov. 18 that the city's request to return some type of alert system on the Palouse Highway grade into Colfax faces a tough test to get funding. City concern about the absence of an alert system has been heightened because three runaway accidents have been logged this year on the highway grade approach.

One of the chief concerns is the potential of a runaway car or truck coming down the grade that could hit a pedestrian or a north-south vehicle at the Main Street intersection.

Retzer, who is a trooper with the Washington State Patrol, h...