Roundabouts preferred option for U.S. 12 in WW
Open houses in Burbank and Walla Walla drew crowds curious about proposals for U.S. Highway 12.

The routes may not all be clear yet, but plenty of other construction elements are on course in the expansion of U.S. Highway 12, according to information presented at an open house Thursday.

Latest plans include funds for an interchange and overpass in Burbank. Two roundabouts are also planned as part of an interchange system where the highway intersects Pine Street and Dell Avenue.

Even options for seeding the areas with grass were presented.

The pieces are all part of the construction puzzle that will help complete the conversion of the existing two-lane highway into a four-lane divided highway between Burbank and Walla Walla.

Kerry Grant, Washington state Department of Transportation regional consultant liaison engineer, said the event was a chance for an informational give-and-take between those putting the project together and those most affected by it.

``We're always looking to see if we've done something wrong _ a fatal flaw,'' Grant said. ``It's an educational process for everybody.''Department of Transportation Communications Manager Mike Westbay said it was particularly a time to dispel myths on roundabouts, which many believe to be a daunting traffic carnival ride.

``We usually get, `Oh, these things are horrible' from people who have never driven on them,'' Westbay said. Once people discover how to enter and exit, he said the traffic controlling devices usually carry traffic with less danger than a four-way lighted intersection.

The two major benefits, he said: There's no stopping, and no one's making a left turn in front of anybody else.

In another major development outlined Thursday, the Department of Transportation will construct an interchange and overpass at U.S. Highway 12 and State Route 124 in Burbank. Funding is provided by the gas tax.

The three-hour open house at Green Park Elementary was one of two hosted by the Department of Transportation and U.S. Highway 12 Coalition this week. A similar meeting in Burbank on Wednesday reportedly drew about 70 people.

Within the first two hours Thursday, 156 people had cycled through Green Park's gymnasium, pouring over the expanded maps and showering questions on the roughly 20 Department of Transportation employees in attendance.

``People in every phase of this thing are affected,'' said Duane Wollmuth of Three Rivers Winery.While the points of safety and economic development are crucial, he said the trick is providing access to existing businesses with as little disturbance as possible to other property owners.

One example is an added access route just west of Last Chance Road. Drivers wanting to visit wineries located along the current highway will be able to access them from the new highway proposed to the north.

Options for the exact route are still being studied _ not only by the Department of Transportation, but also by a group of students at Touchet School.

Students Josephine James, Kayla Buckley and Gabbriella Aguirre presented their own diagrams and maps based on research by eighth-grade Touchet students. Their proposed route would stretch as far north as possible to affect the fewest number of existing residences.

Department of Transportation Regional Administrator Don Whitehouse said social impacts, such as residential development, will be just one aspect of choosing the best route. Others include costs and environmental factors _ all of which are being studied as part of the process.

``The right route is the one that balances all three,'' Whitehouse said.

In the end, though not everyone will be pleased with the chosen route, the result should be a safer roadway.

``We have so many components and phases,'' he said.

``It's a lot of give and take.''Vicki Hillhouse can be reached at vhillhouse@ubnet.com or by calling 5253300, ext. 284.

WHAT'S THE COST?

The Washington state Department of Transportation offers this information about U.S. Highway 12 project funding:* Funded in part by the 2003 Legislative Transportation Funding Package with a 5 cent increase in the gas tax.

** Funded in part by the 2005 Transportation Partnership Funding Package with a 9.5 cent increase in the gas tax phased in over four years.

U.S. 12/SR 124 Burbank Interchange _ FUNDED

Estimated total project cost: $20 million. (** $20 million.)Project timeline: Spring 2005 to winter 2009.

Phase 1 _ COMPLETED

McNary Pool to Attalia Milepost.

299.3 to 302.2.

Total project cost: $11.2 million.

Completed August 2004.

Phase 2 _ FUNDED

SR124 to McNary Pool.

Milepost 295.3 to 299.3.

Estimated total project cost: $12.1 million. (*$11.7 million)Construction began in January 2005.

Phase 3 _ FUNDED

Attalia Vicinity.

Milepost 302.2 to 305.0.

Estimated total project cost: $10.7 million. (*$10.3 million)

Project timeline _ Fall 2003 to winter 2007.

Phase 4 _ FUNDED

Wallula to Walla Walla Planning Study.

Estimated total project cost: $4.5 million. (*$3 million)

Study timeline _ Spring 2004 to summer 2007.

Phase 5 _ FUNDED

Attalia Vicinity to U.S. 730.

Milepost 305 to 307.

Estimated total project cost: $10.4 million. (*$10.4 million)

Project timeline _ Spring 2006 to winter 2008.

Phase 6 _ PARTIALLY FUNDED

McDonald Road to Walla Walla.

Milepost 325.9 to 335.6.

Estimated total project cost: $49.2 million. (**$36 million)

Project timeline _ Winter 2003 to fall 2009.

Cost estimates for Phases 7 and 8 will be developed as part of the study in Phase 4.

Phase 7 _ NOT FUNDED

Nine Mile HIll to McDonald Road.

Milepost 315.8 to 325.9.

Phase 8 _ NOT FUNDED

Wallula Junction to Nine Mile Hill.

Milepost 307.3 to 315.8.

The estimated total project cost includes engineering, right of way and construction costs.