Yakima and Union Gap secure funding to help with dangerous roadways
UNION GAP, WA – On Wednesday March 27th at 1:00pm at the corner of Old Town Road and 1st /Main Street, Mayors Micah Cawley and Roger Wentz will be joined by concerned citizens and local agencies to launch the Yakima-Union Gap Traffic Safety Project, a two year effort to improve traffic safety along 1st /Main and Nob Hill Boulevard. This project will bring grant funds for low-cost engineering fixes and extra law enforcement patrols.
The launch will begin with the unveiling of road signs that will be installed along the corridor to remind drivers that it is a safety emphasis roadway. Following the unveiling, patrol cars and motorcycles from Yakima Police Department, Union Gap Police Department, Yakima Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington State Patrol will be released by Mayor Cawley and Mayor Wentz to start increased law enforcement safety patrols.
The 1st /Main and Nob Hill Traffic Safety Project is a two year project designed to make these roadways safer for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists and to reduce traffic crashes using low cost solutions through engineering, education and enforcement efforts. For the past year, local and state agencies have been working with community members and businesses to identify issues and develop data driven solutions for improving safety along 1st /Main and Nob Hill Boulevard, following a proven strategy employed by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission at many locations across the state. The primary goal of the project is to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries on these roadways.
Motorists and pedestrians will see:
- Increased police and liquor enforcement patrols
- Upgraded traffic signals for drivers and pedestrians
- Improved nighttime visibility
- Improved sidewalks
- Increased driver and pedestrian awareness of safety issues; and
- Reinforcement of safe behaviors for drivers and pedestrians