Moses Lake construction company working on SR 270

Project to make long-awaited improvements to highway

PULLMAN — Drivers between Pullman and the Idaho border will be steering along Moses Lake craftsmanship in the future.

Moses Lake-based North Central Construction is the prime contractor on a project that will add two travel lanes and a center-turn lane to a 6.5 mile section of State Route 270 between the college communities of Pullman, the site of Washington State University, and Moscow, Idaho, which houses the University of Idaho.

Pamp Maiers, Jr., president of operations for the construction company, said 60 to 100 people will be employed on the project at certain times throughout construction, and added that the project will last approximately two years, ending in November 2007.

"It's actually known as the most busy state highway," Maiers said, noting the state route has the most accidents year-round in the state. "It means a lot to a company (to) be able to improve those safety issues."

Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson said there has been discussions about widening the highway since he arrived in town in 1979. The additional two lanes give the Pullman and Moscow communities a safety factor, he believes.

"This highway has been one that we've had more accidents on it than we should have," he said, noting that the an accident in 2001, in which three people were injured and three were killed, was the final straw. "It's been a long time coming and we're very grateful that it's going to be a reality. We've seen enough pipes moved, met the contractor from Moses Lake, met the director of the state Department of Transportation, so we're really looking forward to this project."

Johnson added that an informational meeting about the project was held Thursday evening.

North Central Construction made a construction bid of $18.1 million for the project.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Pullman June 7 to mark the start of the widening project, and activity began June 12.

More information about the project is available online at http://www.pullmanmoscowhighway.com/. Weekly construction and traffic updates are available at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/Eastern/ConstructionUpdate/.