Stratford widening, repaving project in final phase
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 4 months AGO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | November 10, 2020 1:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — Paving crews were laying down fresh asphalt at the intersection of Stratford and Mart roads Monday morning, as a two-year project to upgrade Stratford heads into the final phase.
Rick Morris, from Central Washington Asphalt Inc.’s Moses Lake office, said the paving should be completed by Tuesday afternoon.
The first portion, from the Mart Road intersection to Valley Road, took about 900 tons of asphalt and the second section, from Valley Road to the end of the project, will require about 400 tons.
Crews were working on a morning with below-freezing temperatures and a brisk wind making it even colder.
“It’s still warm enough to pave,” Morris said. “Most years we pave right into Thanksgiving.”
When the project is completed, Stratford will have an additional northbound lane from Valley Road to the project’s end, just past Mart Road. A second left-turn-only lane has been added at the Valley Road intersection.
Traffic lights have been upgraded with new electronics and poles, and the light at Valley Road has been replaced. Sidewalks at the intersections were demolished to make room for the traffic light work and still need to be replaced. In addition, crosswalks are being reconfigured to make crossing easier.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Road closures, roundabout, mean construction season underway
EPHRATA — The grass is starting to turn green, the trees are starting to leaf out, construction crews are starting to build roundabouts – hey, it’s spring. At least one roundabout project is in its final phase, held over from fall 2025. The intersection of State Route 282 and Nat Washington Way will be closed the week of April 6 to allow crews to install permanent lights. “This really is the final (closure),” wrote Grant County Administrator Tom Gaines in a media release. “The roundabout will close at 6 a.m. Monday, and we plan to reopen by Friday, possibly sooner if the work finishes early.”
Ybarra announces run for Washington Senate
QUINCY — State Representative Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, has announced his candidacy for the Washington Senate. If he’s elected, he would replace Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who announced her retirement in March.
Othello Community Museum to open April 25
OTHELLO — With a couple of new exhibits, a new heating-cooling system, rearranged displays and a thorough cleaning, the Othello Community Museum will open for the summer April 25. The goal, said Molly Popchock, museum board secretary, is to operate for a full season.