Traffic alert: 2 Richland street projects causing detours and delays

Two privately-funded road construction projects in Richland are upending traffic but will provide important access to local neighborhoods as they develop.

The city of Richland issued alerts warning drivers to use other routes or prepare for detours and slowdowns.

Steptoe and Tapteal Drive

Tapteal Properties, which owns undeveloped land along Tapteal Drive, is changing the way the road intersects with Steptoe Street above the roundabout and Interstate 182.

The privately-funded project is realigning the two streets at a Port of Benton-owned railroad crossing and will create a four-way intersection with a traffic signal.

In the current phase, northbound Steptoe Street and the west end of Tapteal Drive are temporarily closed.

During the closure, Tapteal Drive traffic is detoured to Center Parkway or Columbia Center Boulevard. Emergency vehicles are not affected by the closures.

Go to richlandwa.gov/SteptoeTapteal

Gage Boulevard, Reata Road roundabout

A new roundabout at Reata Road and the future extension of Gage Boulevard is under construction.

The roundabout is being built by the developer of the Badger South area and will result in a new connection to Gage.

The first phase includes preparing the area for construction.

By mid- to late-April, Reata Road will be closed between Southgate Way and Badger View, with a detour available via Sagebrush and Bermuda roads.

The project should be finished in June.

Go to richlandwa.gov/GageReataRoundabout.