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The wait is over for drivers wanting to use the new MLK, Jr. Boulevard underpass in Yakima. A ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, July 23^rd officially marked completion of the project and the removal of detour signs around the construction area.

Local, state, and federal officials, representatives from the Yakima business community, and other project partners attended the 11:00 am ribbon cutting on July 23^rd at the intersection of 1^st Avenue and MLK, Jr. Blvd. After the dedication ceremony, a caravan of City vehicles took the first official trip on the underpass followed by Yakima community members on foot who got a firsthand look at the new underpass.

About an hour after the ceremony finished, crews had completed final cleanup of the underpass and a section of MLK, Jr. Blvd between 1^st Avenue and 3^rd Avenue that has been closed since the project began and the underpass was opened to normal traffic.

Construction of the underpass was expected to last through late summer or early fall this year, but relatively mild winter weather and the efficiency of contractor crews allowed the project to be completed ahead of schedule.

Mowat Construction Company, a Woodinville-based firm, served as the project’s primary contractor. Work began in March 2013 on the roughly $10.6 million underpass project.

Reopening MLK, Jr. Blvd restores a primary link to Downtown Yakima and relieves traffic congestion caused by detouring vehicles around the construction area while the underpass was being built. The part of Downtown Yakima that is home to the MLK, Jr. Blvd underpass has seen plenty of construction over the past few years. Work on the Lincoln Avenue underpass, located a block away from its MLK, Jr. Blvd sister underpass, began in 2010 and was finished in the fall of 2012.

The two Yakima underpasses had been in the planning and construction stages for more than a decade. The Washington State Congressional delegation (spearheaded by U.S. Senator Patty Murray), the 14^th District state legislative delegation, and current and past Yakima City Council members played key roles in securing the majority of the needed funding from state and federal sources for construction.

BNSF also contributed more than $1.5 million toward completion of the two underpasses.

MLK, Jr. Blvd Underpass Open – News Release

A citywide street repaving project that began in mid May and will continue until this fall will affect traffic in several areas of Yakima from July 21^st through July 25^th. The City is spending about $15 million dollars this year completing a “grind and overlay” project, which involves removing old and deteriorated asphalt and replacing it with new asphalt, in order to recondition more than 90 lane miles of roadway sections in different parts of Yakima.

From Monday, July 21^st through Friday, July 25^th, periodic lane closures will occur each day from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm on several sections of roadways throughout the city as crews perform various tasks associated with the grind and overlay project. No sections of roadways will be completely closed to traffic during daytime hours, but drivers are encouraged to exercise caution and to drive slowly when traveling through marked work areas.

Various sections of streets will be also be completely closed to traffic overnight from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am on different days during the week of July 21^st to July 25^th. Detour routes will be in place so drivers can go around the closed portions of those streets.

A map showing the sections of roads that will be repaved during the project is posted on the City’s website at http://www.yakimawa.gov/apps/streets/resurfacing/. Updated travel alerts detailing specific sections of roads that will be impacted by the project during the week of July 21^st to July 25^th can also be found by clicking on that link.

Access to homes and businesses in the project areas will be maintained as best as possible and emergency vehicles will be allowed through the project areas if necessary.

For additional information regarding the grind and overlay project, contact Senior Engineer Bob Desgrosellier at 575-6228

Grind and Overlay Project Update – News Release

The Yakima City Council held its most recent regular agenda business meeting on Tuesday, July 15^th, 2014

Action taken by the Council on July 15^th included:

-   Holding a future public hearing to discuss budget impacts related to a proposed reduction in the City utility tax rate

-   Approval of a street cut ordinance

-   Pursuing local funding options to begin the North 1^st Street Revitalization Project in 2015

Follow this link to watch Y-PAC coverage of the July 15^th Yakima City Council meeting – http://bit.ly/UaEBVx

Yakima City Council regular agenda business meetings air live on Charter Cable channel 194 and are replayed at 7:00 pm the following night. The meetings are shown again at 9:00 am on the following Saturday and Sunday and are also available on the City of Yakima website – http://www.yakimawa.gov/

A three-block section of Pacific Avenue will be closed to all traffic for most of the day from now through July 30^th while crews repair and repave the street.

Pacific between 6^th Street and 9^th Street will be closed from 5:30 am to 4:00 pm while the project is underway. Detour routes will available to allow drivers to avoid the project area. The three-block section of Pacific will be open to local traffic overnight.

During the project, traffic delays in the area are likely to occur. Drivers should use alternate routes if possible until the project is completed.

Access to homes and businesses in the area will be maintained and traffic will be allowed through the project area when possible.

As always, the schedule for this type of a project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

For additional information about this project, contact Streets and Traffic Operations Manager Joe Rosenlund at 576-6430.

Pacific Avenue Repaving – 7-16-14

The Yakima City Council holds its next regular agenda business meeting on Tuesday July15^th, 2014. The meeting begins at 6:00 pm at Yakima City Hall.

Items on the July 15^th agenda include

-     A request to reduce the City of Yakima utility tax rate from 6% to 4%

-     Withdrawing from the Yakima Valley Office of Emergency Management agreement

-     An update regarding a proposed indoor swimming pool facility

-     A report on funding options for the North 1^st Street Revitalization Project

-     A report on recent regional tours of downtown districts

To see the complete agenda for the July 15^th Council meeting, click on the following http://bit.ly/1q3VBfb

Yakima City Council regular agenda business meetings air live on Charter Cable channel 194 and are replayed at 7:00 pm the following day. The meetings are shown again at 9:00 am on the following Saturday and Sunday and are also available on the City of Yakima website – www.yakimawa.gov

A citywide street repaving project that began in mid May and will continue until this fall will affect traffic in several areas of Yakima from July 14^th through July 18^th. The City is spending about $15 million dollars this year completing a “grind and overlay” project, which involves removing old and deteriorated asphalt and replacing it with new asphalt, in order to recondition more than 90 lane miles of roadway sections in different parts of Yakima.

From Monday, July 14^th through Friday, July 18^th, periodic lane closures will occur each day from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm on Lincoln Avenue between 24^th Avenue and 32^nd Avenue, on Tieton Drive between 40^th Avenue and 48^th Avenue, on W. MLK, Jr. Boulevard between 1^st Avenue and Pierce Avenue, on 3^rd Avenue between Walnut Street and “D” Street, on 4^th Avenue between Tieton Drive and Walnut Street and on 4^th Avenue between Yakima Avenue and “D” Street.

The following sections of streets will be completely closed to traffic overnight from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am on different days during the week of June 30^th to July 3^rd:

-          40^th Ave between Fruitvale Boulevard and Summitview Ave – July 14^th to July 16^th

-          W. Lincoln between 1^st Ave to 16^th Ave –July 16^th to July 17th

-          44^th Ave between Nob Hill Blvd and Tieton  – July 14^th to July 17^th

-          16^th Ave between River Road to SR-12 – July 16^th

-          W. MLK Jr. Blvd. between 2^nd Ave and 3^rd Ave – July 14^th

-          Tieton between 16^th Ave and Voltaire (33^rd Ave) – July 14^th to July 16^th

-          Tieton between 40^th Ave and 48^th Ave – July 14^th to 15^th & July 17

-          19^th Ave between Tieton and Chestnut Ave – July 15^th

-          “D” Street between 1^st Ave and 5^th Ave –July 15^th

-          Walnut between 1^st Street and 7^th Ave – July 14^th

Detour routes will be in place so drivers can go around the closed portions of those streets.

A map showing the sections of roads that will be repaved during the project is posted on the City’s website at http://www.yakimawa.gov/apps/streets/resurfacing/. Updated travel alerts related to the resurfacing project can also be found by clicking on that link.

Access to homes and businesses in the project areas will be maintained as best as possible and emergency vehicles will be allowed through the project areas if necessary.

For additional information regarding the grind and overlay project, contact Senior Engineer Bob Desgrosellier at 575-6228.

Grind and Overlay Project Update News Release

The New Schanno Canal Company, a private provider of irrigation water to the City of Yakima’s Lenox System and 9^th Avenue System, has been experiencing problems with its delivery system recently.  Several repairs were completed this week, but another leak has been discovered.  To initiate repairs, the New Schanno canal will be temporarily shut down on the evening of Monday, July 14^th.  Meanwhile, the canal will continue to operate this weekend with limited pressure.

The temporary shutdown will result in about 1,400 homes served by the City’s Lenox System and 9^th Avenue System experiencing reduced irrigation water pressure.  Some homes may be completely without irrigation water while crews from the City of Yakima Water/Irrigation Division are assisting the private canal company in trying to determine what’s causing the delivery system problems.

After repairs are made to the New Schanno system, irrigation water should gradually begin flowing again on Tuesday afternoon.  However, full irrigation water service is not expected to be available in the Lenox System and the 9^th Avenue System until sometime on Wednesday, July 16^th.

The Lenox System serves the area from Voelker Avenue to 12^th Ave between Nob Hill Boulevard and Mead Avenue. The 9^th Avenue System serves an area from 7^th Ave to 10^th Ave between Baker Street and Nob Hill.

As always, the schedule for this type of project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

Customers who have questions about the New Schanno delivery system shutoff are encouraged to contact Acting Irrigation Supervisor Rich Sanislo at 575-6194

Irrigation Delivery System Shut Down News Release

The New Schanno Canal Company, a private provider of irrigation water to the City of Yakima’s Lenox System and 9^th Avenue System, has been experiencing problems with its delivery system recently. In order to determine the cause of the delivery system problems and to initiate repairs, the New Schanno canal will be temporarily shut down on Wednesday, July 9^th.

The temporary shutdown will result in about 1,400 homes served by the City’s Lenox System and 9^th Avenue System experiencing reduced irrigation water pressure. Some homes may be completely without irrigation water while crews from the City of Yakima Water/Irrigation Division are assisting the private canal company in trying to determine what’s causing the delivery system problems.

Irrigation water service will begin to be restored as soon as repairs are made to the New Schanno delivery system, which is tentatively expected to occur mid-afternoon on Wednesday, July 9^th. Full irrigation water service is likely to be available throughout both the Lenox System and the 9^th Avenue System during the day on Thursday, July 10^th.

The Lenox System serves the area from Voelker Avenue to 12^th Ave between Nob Hill Boulevard and Mead Avenue. The 9^th Avenue System serves an area from 7^th Ave to 10^th Ave between Baker Street and Nob Hill.

As always, the schedule for this type of project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

Customers who have questions about the New Schanno delivery system shutoff are encouraged to contact Acting Irrigation Supervisor Rich Sanislo at 575-6194.

Irrigation Delivery System Shut Down – News Release

A citywide street repaving project that began in mid May and will continue until this fall will affect traffic in several areas of Yakima from July 7^th through July 11^th. The City is spending about $15 million dollars this year completing a “grind and overlay” project, which involves removing old and deteriorated asphalt and replacing it with new asphalt, in order to recondition more than 90 lane miles of roadway sections in different parts of Yakima.

From Monday, July 7^th through Friday, July 11^th, periodic lane closures will occur each day from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm on Lincoln Avenue between 24^th Avenue and 32^nd Avenue, on Tieton Drive between 40^th Avenue and 48^th Avenue, on W. MLK, Jr. Boulevard between 1^st Avenue and Pierce Avenue, and on 6^th Street between Yakima Avenue and H Street.

The following sections of streets will be completely closed to traffic overnight from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am on different days during the week of June 30^th to July 3^rd:

-        40^th Ave between Fruitvale Boulevard and Summitview Ave – July 7^th to July 9^th

-        Lincoln between 24^th Ave and 32^nd Ave – July 9^th

-        24^th Ave between Washington Ave and Nob Hill Boulevard – July 8^th

-        Nob Hill between 32^nd Ave and 40^th Ave – July 7^th and July 8^th

-        16^th Ave between Nob Hill and Englewood Ave – July 10^th and July 11^th

-        Yakima Ave between 12^th Ave and 16^th Ave – July 9^th and July 10^th

-        Tieton between 16^th Ave and Voltaire (33^rd Ave) – July 7^th to July 10^th

-        19^th Ave between Tieton and Chestnut Ave – July 7^th to July 10^th

-        Tieton between 40^th Ave and 48^th Ave – July 7^th to July 9^th

-        4^th Ave between Tieton and Walnut and between Yakima Ave and D Street – July 7^th and July 8^th

-        5^th Ave between Walnut and Yakima Ave – July 9^th and July 10^th

-        6^th Street between Pacific Ave and H Street – July 9^th and July 10^th

-        Walnut between 1^st Street and 7^th Ave – July 9^th and July 10^th

-        3^rd Ave between Walnut and D Street – July 7^th and July 8^th

-        Summitview Ave between Yakima Ave and 16^th Ave – July 10^th and July 11^th

Detour routes will be in place so drivers can go around the closed portions of those streets.

A map showing the sections of roads that will be repaved during the project is posted on the City’s website at http://www.yakimawa.gov/apps/streets/resurfacing/. Updated travel alerts related to the resurfacing project can also be found by clicking on that link.

Access to homes and businesses in the project areas will be maintained as best as possible and emergency vehicles will be allowed through the project areas if necessary.

For additional information regarding the grind and overlay project, contact Senior Engineer Bob Desgrosellier at 575-6228.

Citywide Road Repaving Project Update – News Release