Good news for Juniper Dunes fans

After more than seven years in the works, construction is about to begin on a public road to some of Washington’s largest sand dunes.

Franklin County expects to pick a company next week to pave the road to the Juniper Dunes Recreation Area by mid-2019.

The 4,000-acre recreation area is a popular destination for off-roaders who’ve had to rely on a dusty, private road to reach their outdoor playground.

“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Commissioner Brad Peck.

The access road will provide a paved surface from a spot about seven miles northeast of the intersection of Highway 12 and Pasco-Kahlotus Road.

The recreation area itself is about 18 miles northeast of Pasco and is part of the 19,600-acre Juniper Dunes Wilderness.

It is owned by the federal Bureau of Land Management, which is contributing $1 million. Western Federal Lands Highway Division is contributing nearly $1.6 million.

The project dates to April 2011, when the county commission first approved developing a road to provide reliable access for both users and the law enforcement, medics and others who respond to emergencies.

The county completed negotiations with land owners to secure the rights of way in May.

On Tuesday, county officials opened 14 bids for the 4.3-mile road.

GAME Inc. of Kennewick submitted the apparent low bid of $2.1 million, a project the county engineer projected would cost $2.7 million.

The commission will award the contract next Tuesday after county staff review the submissions.