A bridge to the future

Area leaders chip in on future construction of I-90 overpass

MOSES LAKE - The city wants a new overpass across I-90, and the state's department of transportation wants to build one. That is one of the few things both entities have agreed on.

The situation is by no means critical, area leaders say, although the need is still there. The disagreement comes when deciding what the city really needs.

The idea of building a bridge over the highway on Division Street and Potato Hill Road has been around since 1995, as the lack of height clearance makes oversize trucks loop around towards Ephrata and State Route 17, and sometimes through the city. The need for a new bridge received special attention when Boeing toyed with the idea of coming to Moses Lake in 2003.

The bridge's cost is estimated at $3 million for a two-lane bridge, and $4.5 million for a four-lane. The second option is the city's favored one, given as it comes with sidewalks and shoulders on each side, allowing for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. It also meets the city's future traffic projections.

Gary Harer, municipal services director of the city of Moses Lake, said that up to Wednesday's meeting, representatives from the state's department of transportation had said WSDOT would only pay for the first option, leaving the city to pay the extra $1.5 million. WSDOT reps were unavailable for comment.

The reason for WSDOT's decision, Harer said, is that the WSDOT's projection expands up to the next 20 years, while the city's projection is up to the next 50 years.

"Division is already a four-laner," Harer said. "Once Potato Hill Road area develops, it eventually would be a four-laner, (too.)"

Grant County Commissioner LeRoy Allison agreed, saying that as the area south of the bridge develops, a four-lane construction will be needed. The city/county limits are just south of I-90.

Moses Lake Mayor Ron Covey said WSDOT's 20-year projection will not meet the demands of traffic in the area in the future.

"(WSDOT) does not think we will meet the demands to warrant a four-lane bridge," he said. "We absolutely need a four-lane bridge over I-90."

Since the bridge is within the city, Allison said that no financial help from the county is necessary yet. Help from Olympia might come in handy.

State Sen. Joyce Mulliken, R-Ephrata, said that knowing what the city wants gives her more direction when it comes to making requests to the Legislature on behalf of her community. She is a member of the State Senate's Transportation Committee.

This, Harer added, means that a four-lane bridge would have to be built, lest the city and the county are left with four-lane roads on each side and a two-lane bridge in the middle.

Another option is to build two bridges, one for vehicles to go across I-90 and another one exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists, costing about $900,000.

The WSDOT plans to bid out for the Division Street/Potato Hill Road bridge starting in Oct. 2005 and begin building in early 2006.

Now the decision is up to the city council as to whether build a pedestrian bridge or pay $1.5 million for a wider road across I-90.