South Grant Co. forum examines challenges, opportunities

MATTAWA — Improvements to State Route 243, more options for solid waste disposal, increased housing in southern Grant County, and more apprenticeship and job opportunities for young people. Those were among the recommendations that emerged from a forum sponsored by the South Grant County Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 10. 

Participants spent the morning talking about some ways to meet the challenges of southern Grant County. Andy Harlow, Chamber public affairs director and Wahluke School District superintendent, said that was only the beginning.  

“This is just step one. Now we’re going to have to get to work,” Harlow said. 

The condition of SR 243 dominated the conversation. The participants broke up into groups at the start of the discussion, and all of them recommended improvements to SR 243. It’s the primary access route to and from Mattawa.  

Among the challenges, participants said, are that it’s too narrow and has no passing lanes. It also lacks turn lanes at busy intersections and the road shoulders are inadequate.  

All participants agreed that more passing lanes are needed, along with more turning lanes. They also recommended additional no-passing zones on the Grant County side of the Vernita Bridge and more lighting at intersections. One group recommended widening the stretch about three miles north of Mattawa that runs between the Sentinel Bluffs and the Columbia River. 

A project is planned to widen the shoulders on SR 243, with design underway in 2025, said Chris Keifenheim of the Washington Department of Transportation. It’s being funded with money from the state’s capital budget, which was allocated at the request of 13th District Representative Tom Dent. Keifenheim said capital budget funding is probably the best option for SR 243. 

The low volumes of traffic on SR 243 mean it will continue to be low on the DOT’s priority list, he said. He recommended local officials keep working through their legislators to fund improvements. 

“That’s what you need,” Keifenheim said.  

Better options for solid waste disposal were also identified as something that needed to be addressed. Grant County officials closed a transfer station in the southern section of the county a few years ago. While there is garbage pickup in Mattawa and Desert Aire, illegal dumping has increased, participants said. 

Harlow said the effects are visible at the Wahluke campuses. The district has experienced a decline in enrollment over the last few years, he said. 

“We’ve lost kids, but we’ve added garbage cans,” he said. 

Cleaning up illegal dumps shouldn’t be left up to the landowners, participants said. 

Health care was also a concern, with participants recommending an after-hours clinic somewhere in the Mattawa area. More options for housing were recommended also, since the lack of housing forces people who work in Mattawa to live elsewhere. 

State Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Prescott, delivered a speech at the end of the forum. Dozier represents the 16th District, which includes a small slice of Grant County south of Mattawa. 

Dozier recommended that people defer any capital budget project requests for at least a year, since Washington works on a two-year budget cycle. Legislators allocated most of the money allocated for the two years in 2025. 

“If you’re thinking about applying for capital funds, (2026) isn’t the year to do it,” he said. He recommended waiting until 2027. 

Dozier is part of the committee that works to allocate the capital budget, and he said it’s the most rewarding one.  

“We get to fund projects that are so important to local communities,” he said.