City of Pullman paves way for better infrastructure
June 10, 2015
The City of Pullman is utilizing the clear skies and warm weather to make improvements to its infrastructure this summer.
Some areas to avoid include the intersection of Bishop Boulevard and Klemgard Avenue, Stadium Way, and Reaney Park.
“We’re trying to offer variety to people in the community,” said Mayor Glen Johnson.
Between Bishop Boulevard and Klemgard Avenue, the City of Pullman will be adding a traffic signal and will also widen the road.
“Around Reaney Park we’re redoing the streets on all sides, along with some utility work to construct a splash pad. On Terre View and Brandi Way we’ll be working to resurface the roads,” said Pullman Public Works director Kevin Gardes.
Additionally, residents can expect to see a bike lane on Stadium Way, sidewalk repairs and new businesses opening up, said Gardes and Johnson.
Other various projects include Wawawai Road improvements, street resurfacing, Airport Rd. sewer and widening up North Grand.
“Good things are going on in Pullman. The population is close to 32,000 here in Pullman, in Moscow it’s around 23,000 so this city, thanks to the university and a lot of other things we’re really starting to see lots of good activity going on,” said Johnson.
Most of the construction started May 11 and residents can expect it to wrap up one or two weeks prior to fall semester beginning.
“Everyone can sit back and say ‘okay they’re investing in the community and the city is investing in the community’. We are using tax payer’s funds to improve Pullman,” said Johnson.
“No one should be fed up because it’s progress,” Johnson explained. “People have been stopped waiting to get over on Bishop Boulevard for quite a while now. If you have a little patience, that is going to be taken care of.”
Construction projects in Pullman generally are developed over the years.
“The city has capital improvement plans and transportation improvement plans so we project what we think our improvements will need to be in all the utilities, streets, cross-transit and other various city departments. Then we work on budgeting and finally, construction,” Gardes said.
“So it’s not like in January we say ‘Oh, we’re going to pave Terre View this year,’” he said. “Instead, we’ve been working on these projects two to three years or even longer.”
Additionally, summer is the only feasible time these projects can begin. Gardes said construction in winter is less productive and more expensive.
“Summer is the optimum time from a weather and efficiency standpoint but also the best time in Pullman because a lot of students are gone so the traffic is less.”