Residents urge county to upgrade busy roads

by David Lester
Yakima Herald-Republic

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YAKIMA, Wash. -- Wind and pedal power dominated a hearing this week on Yakima County's plans for road maintenance and construction next year.

But it doesn't appear the county will be able to do much about either, at least for a while.

Representatives of property owners along Glade Road, southwest of Mabton, urged the county Tuesday to finish widening the road, which is getting more use by wind-farm employees, natural gas exploration, large farm machinery, tourists and Klickitat County residents who shop in Yakima County.

Most of two-lane Glade Road has been widened to allow for bigger vehicles and shoulder lanes. But the last six miles leading to the Yakima/Klickitat county line remain to be improved. The project isn't on the county's six-year improvement plan.

Mike Copenhefer, chief of rural Fire District No. 7 in the Horse Heaven Hills, said increasing traffic poses a safety risk.

"We need to have it improved and safe," Copenhefer said. "The road is great to ride on. There's just not enough to ride on," he said.

He said owners of about 67,000 acres in the Horse Heaven Hills in Yakima County are part of a consortium working with Horizon Wind Energy of Houston to locate wind farms on the property.

Completion of a new Bonneville Power Administration main transmission line in 2012 should see the start of wind-farm development that will add even more traffic to Glade Road.

Developers want to be close to main transmission lines to reduce development costs.

As many as 80 wind turbines could be located in Yakima County once development begins, Copenhefer estimated.

For now, wind developers are using motels in Sunnyside to house employees because of the lack of accommodations in Klickitat County.

County commissioners and county engineer Gary Ekstedt said the county needs better communications with Klickitat County regarding the impacts land-use decisions there will have in Yakima County.

"We need to be plugged in to the process in Klickitat County," Ekstedt said.

Also on Tuesday, county commissioners heard concerns from local cyclists about road maintenance programs.

Matthew Alderton, chairman of the board of the Mount Adams Cycling Club, renewed the group's concern that county roads are becoming unsafe for bicyclists because of the county's chip seal program in which rock is added to liquid asphalt spread across roads to preserve them. The repaving has left several roads bumpy and risky for cyclists.

County Commissioner Mike Leita said the county is aware the size of rocks used up until this year are too large. But the county won't be going back to re-do those roads for several years.

Commissioners have not indicated when they will adopt the rolling six-year road plan that includes 2010 projects. The plan must be in place before the end of 2009.

The county's 2010 road program totals about $33 million, including $14.8 million for construction, $10.3 million for maintenance and another $4.7 million for administration, debt service and insurance. A carryover of $3.2 million is projected.

The county plans to start replacing the Yakima River bridge at North Meyers Road north of Toppenish, a project that will take two years. The county will spend $4.45 million in 2010.

Several roads will be widened, including sections of Summitview Road from Apple Way Road to Forney Road; South Naches Road from Naches-Tieton Road to the bridge; Naches-Tieton Road from Naches Heights Road to South Naches Road; North Wenas Road from Hexon Road to Shaw Road; and North Track Road from Parker Bridge Road to Egan Road.

The plan also includes paving about five miles of gravel road at a cost of
$2.2 million.

 

* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.



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