Officials push WA Legislature to finish U.S. 12
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla City Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain reports that city staff, officials from the Port of Walla Walla and the Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners met with the 16th District legislators last week. They stressed to them that the state needs to send the $21.8 million dollars from Connecting Washington that is needed to finish U.S. 12.
“The governor has proposed to put it out eight to 10 years,” Chamberlain told the city council last week. “But that’s the governor’s proposal. The legislature, of course, will ultimately adopt the next biennial budget.”
Chamberlain said the 16th District legislators are working on a letter that would go to both the Senate and House of Representatives transportation committees’ chairs and vice chairs emphasizing the importance of completing U.S. 12 from Wallula to Nine Mile Hill.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, Phase 8 will complete approximately 10 miles of a new four-lane divided highway that remains between Wallula and Nine Mile Hill. WSDOT estimates it would cost approximately $22 million for design and right way. Construction is currently unfunded.
Map via WSDOT
