From the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Online News.

Posted on Friday, July 09, 2010

Officials herald latest phase of US 12
The widening project is near the halfway point, with 18 miles of highway from Walla Walla to Tri-Cities now four lanes and 21 miles left to go.
ANDY PORTER
WALLA WALLA UNION-BULLETIN

WALLA WALLA -- The latest effort to widen U.S. Highway 12 was officially welcomed today.

The celebration under the overpass at Myra Road marked the near-completion of two years of work to make more than eight miles of the roadway a four-lane divided highway from the west edge of Walla Walla to the vicinity of Frenchtown.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., lauded the broad-based effort to unite public and private interests behind the drive to widen the roadway from Walla Walla to the Snake River in Burbank.

Along with Murray, a host of other state and local officials spoke, emphasizing how the latest phase of work will increase safety on the highway and aid economic development in the Walla Walla Valley."This community has been absolutely amazing," Murray told the crowd of about 60 people gathered for the noon event.

"It's a great day. It shows such a partnership with this coalition," said state Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond. "The only way we were going to get this done was to band together."



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Andy Porter
State Rep. Maureen Walsh, R-College Place, holds up one of the pieces of a ribbon which was cut Thursday during a ceremony to celebrate the latest phase of widening U.S. Highway 12. Federal, state and local officials gathered at the Myra Road underpass to mark the near-completion of the $24 million project, which runs from Walla Walla to the vicinity of Frenchtown. (July 8, 2010)