1 in 10 crashes in Kennewick happen at this intersection. What’s being done about it

A revamp is being planned for Kennewick’s busiest intersection — the one at Gage Boulevard and Steptoe Street at the city’s boundary with south Richland.

Until then, drivers can expect at least one new stoplight to be added north of the intersection on North Steptoe Street.

The Six Year Transportation Improvement Plan recently approved by the Kennewick City Council calls for $3 million of construction in 2023 at Gage and Steptoe.

Design work is being done now and bid requests for construction could go out in fall 2022.

Now about one in 10 crashes in Kennewick are at the intersection, according to Sorin Juster, the city’s transportation manager.

And its heavy use leads to long lines of vehicles and long delays, especially during the evening commute.

About 4,100 cars go through the intersection at its peak hour.

From 4:45 to 5:45 p.m., 1,380 cars were approaching the intersection westbound and 963 eastbound on Gage, according to the latest study of the intersection done three years ago.

Steptoe traffic in the same hour was 1,072 southbound and 718 northbound vehicles.

That’s more than 4,100 vehicles and traffic volumes likely have increased since the study was done, Juster said.

Plans call for widening the intersection, which will require purchasing right-of-way there, to upgrade turn lanes to dual left turn lanes and single right-turn lanes in all directions.

There is $400,000 available for the right-of-way purchases.

Stoplight signal timing also will be improved.

As Steptoe north of Gage becomes busier, plans are being made to add more traffic lights.

A stoplight is planned to be added at Steptoe and West Arrowhead Avenue next year to help people living in neighborhoods off Arrowhead turn left onto Steptoe.

The city has received complaints from drivers having trouble getting onto Steptoe and also from pedestrians trying to cross Steptoe, Juster told the Kennewick City Council.

Further in the future two more lights might be added to north Steptoe Street.

Under consideration is a pedestrian crossing light to help people cross Steptoe at the Keene Road Trail. The crossing light, which would have a pedestrian push button to activate a red light for traffic, is not yet funded.

A stoplight also could be added at Tapteal and Steptoe as the Richland land west of Steptoe at Tapteal is developed. There is no schedule for adding that stoplight.