State Route 26 passing lanes completed

COLFAX — Four newly constructed State Route 26 passing lanes have been completed after three years of work.

Communications Manager Ryan Overton said the $11.1 million project started with the first three passing lanes starting in 2022 and running through 2023.

A second project for the fourth climbing lane started in June of this year, between Dusty and Colfax.

“It’s been open now for a little over a week,” Overton said, noting all the traffic control is gone at the location.

A ribbon cutting to celebrate will take place from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds in the southwest parking lot. The public is invited to attend.

The event will feature speeches from local state representatives, Washington State Department of Transportation, the Palouse Regional Planning Transportation Organization and Washington State University.

The four new passing lanes are part of the Connecting Washington funding package passed by the legislature in 2015.

“This is just several years of collaboration with multiple partners,” said Overton, noting the road has heavy traffic from Washington State University students and local agricultural vehicles.

The passing lanes give safe locations for travelers to pass vehicles, with two passing lanes westbound and two eastbound.

“It’s exciting to get this completed and opened to have some additional spots, so that they can pass,” Overton said, adding the safety aspect is a win-win for the college students of Whitman County.

Overton said there is still some seeding of the grass that will take place, taking approximately a year.

“There will be work going on, but it won’t have an impact on the travelling public,” Overton said.