Updated: Richland public works director who built Duportail Bridge retiring after 30 years

Pete Rogalsky, P.E., Richland’s longtime public works director, is stepping down almost 30 years to the day after he joined the city.

Rogalsky confirmed April 5 will be his last day. The city will hold a public reception to honor his contributions from 9-11 a.m., April 4, in the council chambers at city hall, 625 Swift Blvd.

Rogalsky joined the city as a civil engineer April 4, 1994 and became city engineer in 2003. He was promoted to public works director a year later and held the position for almost 20 years.

As the senior official for public works, Rogalsky oversaw countless city projects, from construction of the Duportail Bridge to waterworks to landfill updates.

The Richland City Council honored Rogalsky with a resolution honoring his contributions at its regular business meeting on April 2. When asked how he would spend his Tuesday evenings, typically reserved for city council sessions, an emotional Rogalsky joked that he will take a business-as-usual aproach to retirement.

“I’m going to put out a RFP (request for proposals) and I expect multiple bidders,” he told Mayor Theresa Richardson.

Rogalsky and his team touched virtually every aspect of Richland civil life.

In addition to leading the frequently controversial Duportail Bridge project, he navigated countless legal and bureaucratic challenges to extend Center Parkway across railroad tracks near Columbia Center.

He oversaw upgrades to water and sewer systems, closed one landfill, opened another, implemented traffic impact fees to offset the cost of new development, established a pavement preservation program and undertook “street projects too numerous to count,” according to the city.

When the Center Parkway project began in late 2022, Rogalsky spoke at a groundbreaking ceremony.

It took 22 years of planning to get to that point, he said, joking that Richland brought “stubbornness” to the effort. The new stretch of road links Gage Boulevard in Kennewick to Tapteal Drive in Richland, opening areas along Highway 240 to new development.

Rogalsky came to Richland after earning a civil engineering degree from UCLA.

The city previously advertised the job with a full time salary of $150,000-$209,000. His successor has not been selected. Carlo D’Alessandro, transportation and development manager, will serve as interim public works director until a candidate is selected.

This story was originally published April 2, 2024 at 5:00 AM.