Columbia Park Trail undergoing $5 million overhaul

RICHLAND, Wash.-- The City of Richland is in the process of making improvements on Columbia Park Trail, with the hope of making the waterfront area more appealing to business and recreation.

The improvements start at Fowler Road at the end of Columbia Center Blvd., and continue west to the Reach Museum.

"There's no designated space on that road for walking-- there's no sidewalks, there's no bike lanes. It looks very sterile, it's got the big, ugly power lines on one side of it, and it just doesn't look like an area that's a valuable community asset," said Pete Rogalsky, Public works director for the City of Richland. 

Once the project is completed, Columbia Park Trail will have one lane of vehicle travel in each direction, along with a center left-turn lane where needed, which will add another element of safety to traveling along that corridor.

New curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bike lanes, street lights, storm drainage facilities and landscaping will also be installed on both sides of the roadway, and overhead utilities will be buried underground.

The Richland City Council approved a budget of $5,020,785 for the project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Listen to Pete Rogalsky with the City of Richland discuss the details of the Columbia Park Trail project: