New offramp would be a green light to public safety

A chronic traffic safety issue at a major Yakima freeway interchange will be eliminated under a pending state Department of Transportation project.

The estimated $1.5 million construction next year will add a dedicated lane for eastbound traffic coming off Interstate 82 at Yakima Avenue bound for points east, including Wal-Mart and Terrace Heights.

Currently, motorists exiting the freeway have to yield before entering the outside lane of travel that borders Sunfair Chevrolet.

The layout resulted in 15 rear-end collisions between 2004 and 2006 that were serious enough to warrant police writing an accident report. An unknown number of fender-benders have occurred in which drivers exchanged insurance information and went on their way.

There have been no fatalities.

But it needs fixing, according to Paul Gonseth, project engineer in the DOT's southeast region office in Union Gap.

What makes merging onto East Yakima Avenue more difficult is the extreme angle at which motorists have to look back to see whether it is safe to proceed out onto East Yakima Avenue.

"You come up to the ramp to go to Terrace Heights at the yield sign and try to look under the bridges to see if traffic is coming," Gonseth said. "Some people aren't coming to a stop. There are a lot of people who have had accidents there."

Don Whitehouse, DOT regional administrator, said the area has been designated as a high-accident location and is now on the drawing boards for a solution.

That will suit Bob Hall just fine.

Hall, whose Chevrolet dealership fronts on Yakima Avenue, said traffic growth is making the need for a fix at more of a premium.

"The reality is the increase of traffic with development in Terrace Heights, our business and Wal-Mart, the frequency of incidents has increased. It is really a public safety question," Hall said.

The transportation department is in the process of obtaining right of way to add the fill dirt on which to build the new lane.

Hall is one of two property owners affected. He is negotiating the sale of frontage to the state. A second property owner, James R. Lee, has been unable to reach agreement to purchase his parcel immediately east of the offramp.

The state is preparing to begin condemnation proceedings in which the value of Lee's property will be determined in court.

Lee, contacted at his home, referred inquiries to a son. The son, Earl Lee of Yakima, did not return a telephone call for comment.

The project also includes adding new traffic lights at the freeway ramps.

* David Lester can be reached at 577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.