Residents speak out on North Palouse Road concerns

COLFAX — Residents of North Palouse Road are asking questions concerning the conditions and upkeep of a Colfax road past McDonald Park.

Local John Ward said that 11 residents of North Palouse Road went to the Colfax City Council meeting on Monday, July 8, to raise their concerns to council members.

Public Works Director Matt Hammer confirmed that the road was annexed by the City of Colfax from Whitman County in 2008.

“They assumed the responsibility of maintaining that road and they just don’t maintain it,” said Ward.

According to Ward, the 11 North Palouse Road residents who attended the July 8 meeting have been asking for better upkeep of the road.

“The City says they don’t have any money to maintain it,” Ward said. “Our stance is they should have never annexed it into the city if they can’t maintain it.”

Ward said that one of the problems the residents have with the road is semi-trucks, combines and tractors are allowed on the road.

“It’s a safety issue because the road isn’t very wide,” he said. “There’s blind corners, the road is not wide enough and it’s rough.”

Other issues that residents of the road have, according to Ward, are the road not having the right kind of gravel and vehicles speeding down it.

“People have taken their tires to the city and said ‘look, the rock you’re using is destroying my tires,’” Ward said.

According to Ward, the residents have mentioned their concerns regarding the weight issues of the road and have cited city code Chapter 12.10 “Weight Limits on Public Ways.”

A weight limit is imposed on streets not designated an arterial street or collector and these roads can have a vehicle on them exceeding 9,560 pounds, according to city code section 12.10.040.

Ward mentioned that North Palouse Road is not listed in the section of the city code, 12.10.050, which shows streets that the weight limit provided in section 12.10.040 does not apply.

Arterial streets listed in the code are Main Street, Walla Walla Highway (State Route 26), Canyon Street, (State Route 272), Fairview Street (Main Street to western city limits), and United States 195.

Collector Streets listed are Harrison Street, Clay Street, Cedar Street (Sixth Street to McDonald Park) and Mill Street (Canyon to Harrison Streets).

“There’s no weight limits on that road until spring time,” said Hammer, “We’ll put those on as needed.”

Hammer said that the road presents them with a difficult situation, because Public Works is low on man power. “We’ve got several streets in town that need attention, as well as Palouse River Road.”

“We’re asking for the proper rock to be put on the road, the road to be oiled because of dust. Heavy traffic to not be allowed on that road per their ordinance, and we’re asking for more police presence,” Ward said.