Bike lanes, sidewalks and safer crossings planned for one of Tri-Cities busiest streets
Pasco plans to invest millions of dollars into roadway improvements that will increase the safety of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists on one of its busiest east-west corridors.
Construction of the Sylvester Street safety improvements project will convert 3.5 miles of undivided four-lane roadway into a three-lane roadway — one center turn lane and two travel lanes — with bicycle lanes between 3rd Avenue and Road 54.
Car lanes will be narrowed and speed limits are set to be reduced, too.
The project will improve the walkability of Sylvester west of U.S. 395, near residential developments, with the addition of sidewalks, three new flashing pedestrian crossings and a shared-used pathway.
“The importance of the project really relies on increasing safety on the corridor and also accommodating all modes of transportation,” said Maria Serra, Pasco’s interim director of public works.
City staff say the project aims to reduce the number of collisions, too.
Anywhere from 5,000-20,000 vehicles use Sylvester Street on any given day, with traffic counts higher near the Highway 395 off-ramp and the 20th Avenue intersection.
It’s one of only two arterials that span the highway and connect west Pasco communities to downtown.
Work is to begin this spring with most projects wrapped up by autumn.
No full closures of Sylvester are expected at this time. Property owners will be notified at least two days in advance of any construction that causes disruption or lane closures.
The Pasco City Council expects to vote Monday, Feb. 5, on awarding the $3.2 million bid to Yakima-based Granite Construction Company.
The project is being paid with $3.4 million in state and federal grants awarded to Pasco. Total cost of the project including the planning work is expected to be $5 million.
Serra said a future project will increase safety on the bridge that spans Highway 395. Funds for that project have been secured, but construction isn’t to start until 2026.
Residents have raised concerns over the years of street racing on parts of Sylvester. One Tri-City Herald letter writer called it a ‘race track’ with drivers going 60 mph in a 35 mph zone.
