More money and safer streets for Road 68
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PASCO - KEPR is taking a closer look at one of the busiest roads in the Tri-Cities: Road 68. Pasco continues to spend money to try to make it safer and relieve congestion, but is it working?
“Post-baseball it's brutal,” said local Barry Glennen. “We expect that for a special event, but what we don't expect is normal days like this afternoon I've been in and out four times it was pretty challenging.”
Nearly 50,000 cars a day go through the intersection of Burden and Road 68. Two years ago there were 32 accidents there. That number jumped by about 40 percent the following year, with 45 accidents at Road 68 and Burden.
So far this year the pace has slowed a bit. It’s amounted to a 10% drop in accidents.
“That's great promise,” said Pasco Public Works Director Ahmad Qauoumi. “The number of complaints have reduced on Road 68 compared to what we had last year beginning in 2011.”
Pasco says they’ll to continue to spend money on Road 68. In fact, of the five main projects involving the road, it’s a total price tag of $2.5 million.
Changes include: adding new signals to help traffic flow, as well as street improvements. These would create alternate routes through Wrigley Drive and Clemente Lane. Pasco knows it's important to keep traffic moving so people don't avoid the area altogether.
Until that time though drivers are stuck playing the waiting game.
“You gotta be patient when you're on road 68, you gotta be patient,” said Glennen.
A lot of people think an easy fix would be to just widen Road 68. The city has that down as its last option.
It would cost the most and impact businesses the most. Pasco it confident its six-year plan will alleviate most of the current troubles on Road 68.
“Post-baseball it's brutal,” said local Barry Glennen. “We expect that for a special event, but what we don't expect is normal days like this afternoon I've been in and out four times it was pretty challenging.”
Nearly 50,000 cars a day go through the intersection of Burden and Road 68. Two years ago there were 32 accidents there. That number jumped by about 40 percent the following year, with 45 accidents at Road 68 and Burden.
So far this year the pace has slowed a bit. It’s amounted to a 10% drop in accidents.
“That's great promise,” said Pasco Public Works Director Ahmad Qauoumi. “The number of complaints have reduced on Road 68 compared to what we had last year beginning in 2011.”
Pasco says they’ll to continue to spend money on Road 68. In fact, of the five main projects involving the road, it’s a total price tag of $2.5 million.
Changes include: adding new signals to help traffic flow, as well as street improvements. These would create alternate routes through Wrigley Drive and Clemente Lane. Pasco knows it's important to keep traffic moving so people don't avoid the area altogether.
Until that time though drivers are stuck playing the waiting game.
“You gotta be patient when you're on road 68, you gotta be patient,” said Glennen.
A lot of people think an easy fix would be to just widen Road 68. The city has that down as its last option.
It would cost the most and impact businesses the most. Pasco it confident its six-year plan will alleviate most of the current troubles on Road 68.
