PASCO, Wash. – The City of Pasco has accepted a $2.1 million grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation to help improve one of it’s intersections.
The intersection lies in Northwest Pasco; Road 76 and Sandifur Parkway. This grant is part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program, designed to decrease fatal crashes and pedestrian deaths in Washington state.
Maria Serra, Public Works Director for the city, emphasized that this project will not use local funds.
“At this point, our cost estimate assumes that this grant would be covering the overall cost of the project,” Serra said. “So we don’t anticipate using local funds for it.”
The current state of the Road 76 and Sandifur Parkway intersection is a two-way stop with limited sidewalks and no crosswalk lights. The intersection is surrounded by residential, business, and government areas, notably Pasco’s Fire Department #83.
Planning and design for the project are set to begin next year, with construction expected to start in 2027 after the city fully secures the grant money.
“So these funds are not readily available to us,” Serra stated. “We need to wait until next year to be able to get those funds contracted through the federal process.”
Council member Charles Grimm expressed optimism about the impact of these improvements for Pasco residents, despite some voicing their concerns about the length of the project.
“We appreciate your feedback and just look forward to making Pasco the best place to live and raise a family.”
Grimm says that the intersection is notably congested at times, and fixing these offshoots will help with traffic on the nearby Road 68.
