New section of U.S. 12 opening is imminent
By Dan Thesman on Friday, May 26th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – Mechanical failure on a piece of heavy equipment has delayed the opening of the newly constructed 11-mile stretch of U.S. 12 between Nine Mile Hill and Frenchtown Vicinity. Originally anticipated to open Friday afternoon, Atkinson Construction project manager Jeremy Puetz said the opening won’t happen until after Memorial Day, possibly Tuesday or Wednesday.
This section of U.S. 12 is located north of the communities of Touchet and Lowden. To maintain access to these communities, Puetz said two interchanges were constructed tying into local roads. A total of eleven new bridges were also constructed to maintain connectivity along Cummins Road, Touchet Road North, and Woodward Canyon, plus span the Touchet River, Touchet Floodway and Dry Creek.
The speed limit for the newly constructed four-lane highway will be 70 miles per hour, but Puetz advises drivers to pay attention and use caution as crews will continue to do some minor work in the area over the coming weeks.
Puetz said during the project more than 2 million cubic yards of dirt was moved and 140,000 tons of asphalt was poured. He added the approximate $120 million project finished about three months ahead of schedule. This portion of U.S. 12 – Phase 7 – is the second to the last piece of the highway widening project between Wallula and Walla Walla. The Washington State Department of Transportation reports Phase 8, approximately 10 miles of new four-lane divided highway that remains to be built, is in the early design phases.
Photo via WSDOT
