City of Yakima crews are busy on a number of improvements. To help you know before you go, current projects and related traffic impacts include:
Lane closures in September on S. First Street
Posted on September 8, 2025 (September 8, 2025) by John Fannin
Drivers will experience lane closures on South First Street between Old Town Road and Washington Avenue from Sept. 9th through the end of the month.
- Starting Sept. 9th, this section of South First Street will have intermittent lane closures due to tree trimming and lowering manhole lids.
- From Sept. 15th through Sept. 26th, S. First Street between Old Town Road and Washington Avenue will be one lane each direction as crews will grind and overlay north and southbound travel lanes. During this particular project there will be road closures at times while the section of roadway is paved. Detours will be posted.
- For the week of Sept. 29th there will be intermittent lane closures
Project work hours, and related lane closures, starting Sept. 9th are 6 am to 4 pm, Monday through Thursday.
Access will be maintained to properties and businesses in the project area.
Drivers are encouraged to slow down in work zones, look out for workers and follow posted speed limits.
As always, the schedule for this type of a project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.
Contact Street Maintenance Supervisor Jay Kendall at 509-576-6443 for more about the project.
Fruitvale Blvd/River Road roundabout opened Aug. 29th
A new roundabout at the intersection of Fruitvale Boulevard/River Road/34th Avenue opened August 29th. Roundabout construction began on January 30th and has required road closures.
To manage roundabouts effectively, drivers should:
- Yield to traffic inside the roundabout: Vehicles already in the roundabout have the right-of-way. Wait for a safe gap before entering.
- Choose the correct lane: Based on the exit you plan to take, select the appropriate lane. The right lane is typically for right turns and straight-through movements, while the left lane is for left turns and U-turns.
- Use turn signals: Indicate your exit with clear and timely turn signals.
- Approach at a safe speed: Adjust your speed based on traffic conditions and the size of the roundabout.
- Yield to pedestrians: Be vigilant and yield to pedestrians waiting to cross as you enter or exit the roundabout.
- Look for gaps: Wait for a sufficient gap in traffic before entering the roundabout.
- Maintain a consistent speed: Once inside the roundabout, keep a steady and consistent speed.
The Federal Highway Administration has an animated video with tips on safely navigating roundabouts.
For more about the project call City of Yakima Chief Engineer Dana Kallevig at 509-575-6048.
72nd Ave/Washington Ave roundabout construction
The third of four phases to construct a roundabout at the intersection of 72nd Avenue and Washington Avenue begins July 28th. This requires closing the intersection to all traffic 24/7 through September 12th. Detours will be provided via Nob Hill Blvd, 64th Ave and Occidental Road.
The closure will allow for underground work and paving to occur with the least amount of disruption to the public as possible.
Traffic is expected to have full access to the completed roundabout on September 12th, two months ahead of the original schedule of mid-November.
Roundabout construction at 72nd and Washington is funded entirely by state grants. The first of four phases on this project began June 16th. Phase 2 began June 30th, with Phase 3 starting July 28th.
Expanding water, wastewater access to underserved areas
On June 23rd, the city began a project to expand water/wastewater access to northeast areas of Yakima currently served by private wells and septic systems. These include areas of N. 3rd St, N. 4th St, E. Q St, E. O St and Oak St.
During initial construction of the wastewater system in the northeast project area, the amount of ground water was more than anticipated. Due to the high ground water conditions, work will move to the south central area of Yakima. As a result, 10th Avenue is closed with “local access only” from Mead Avenue to Spokane Street beginning Monday, July 7th.
Work in the south central area is expected to last into August.
Construction will return to the northeast area this fall, when ground water conditions are expected to improve. The project is expected to be completed February 2026.
This is an important project for City of Yakima, to construct new water and wastewater systems in the northeast and south central areas of the city. The northeast area work will include areas along North 3rd Street, North 4th Street, East Q Street, East O Street and Oak Street. South central area improvements will include South 10th Avenue and Woodland Avenue.
Traffic control devices will be in place during construction to direct traffic around the immediate areas of construction. Temporary road closures may be necessary at times, although detours will be in place to provide local access.
Once the new water system is installed, there will be temporary water outages while the new system is being placed into service. A minimum of 24-hours advance notice will be provided for all scheduled water outages.
The $2.2 million grant-funded project will also bring water/wastewater improvements to south central Yakima this fall.
In closing…
- Please remember to slow down in work zones.
- Access to homes and businesses in project areas are maintained as best as possible.
- Street closures may cause interruptions in scheduled refuse collection. Contact the City of Yakima Refuse Division at 509-575-6005 for more information.
- Schedules for these projects are subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure and emergencies.
- See a pothole or an issue with a City street? Let us know at Yak Back | City of Yakima (yakimawa.gov)
- Thank you for your patience and cooperation!
