Pendleton seeks new funding source to rebuild Exit 209

By Terry Murry on Thursday, September 7th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – The Pendleton City Council has approved applying for a federal grant to rebuild the interchange between exit 209 of Interstate 84 and Highway 395 (Southgate). The city has sought U.S. Department of Transportation funding for years without success.

Mayor John Turner said it appears that the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program of the U.S. Department of Transportation could be a better source for funding the $40 million project than the avenues tried previously. The city council has approved providing a promise of a local match of up to $2 million for the grant.

“It’s still a longshot,” Turner said. “There are no guarantees, but we want to try and move this project forward. That corridor where 395 passes under Highway 84 is getting increasingly congested.”

The city has the support of the Umatilla County Board of Commissioners in its request. The board voted Wednesday to write a letter endorsing the project.

“We are going to write support letters for the city as long as it takes to get this projected completed, because we believe in this project as well,” Commissioner John Shafer said.

The project also calls for extending Southwest Perkins Avenue down to Tutuilla Road. The application is due at the end of this month.