Widening Despain is being discussed
By Terry Murry on Thursday, February 16th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Pendleton officials are discussing the proposed widening of Northwest Despain Avenue at meetings this week. Public Works Director Bob Patterson said the proposal would add only six feet of surface to the road, which would allow parking on both sides of the street.
“There is a lot of activity with Pioneer Park, the Pendleton Arts Center, the Bucking Bean, and a couple of homes that are mid-block that don’t have off-street parking,” he said.
The widening of the road is only for parking, not for vehicular traffic. The project is on the list to be worked on this summer, and Patterson said if input reflects the widening isn’t wanted, then work will not be done on Despain in 2023.
“We’re going to be meeting in-house and have further discussion and see if that’s a direction that we want to take,” he said. “If so, we’re prepared to continue down that path. If not, we’re going to have to make some changes and we’ll be postponing at least Northwest Despain over a period of time.”
He said either way, the city remains committed of performing an overlay of the Main Street bridge over the Umatilla River.
