Almota Phase Four done

Garth Meyer, Whitman County Gazette | Sep 03, 20200

COLFAX– After eight years of funding, planning, design and a year’s delay for right-of-way and wetlands work, the $6 million Almota Road Phase Four reconstruction project moved into its final stretch of painting Aug. 28.

On Monday, some clean-up painting remained and a few fences still need to be rebuilt.

“For all intents and purposes, Almota Four is complete,” said Mark Storey, Public Works director.

Flaggers on the newly-expanded road were expected to be done Tuesday.

“It is gorgeous,” said Michael Largent, county commissioner.

Storey credited Dean Cornelison, assistant county engineer, who designed the project.

Almota Four spans 3.5 miles between Union Flat Creek and State Route 194 by Onecho Bible Church, widening the road from 28 to 34 feet.

Next up in the four-phase, 12-mile Almota Road reconstruction project, begun in 2009, is Phase Three, scheduled for 2021, to extend from a half-mile north of Sommers Road to halfway up Henning Hill from Union Flat Creek. Funding is already in place. Phase Four construction went first because its funding came together earlier.