Road closure starts Monday near Othello

May 7-OTHELLO - Drivers should prepare for delays on State Route 17 at the intersection with West Cunningham Road in Othello as construction of a new roundabout gets to the cutting-pavement and construction stage.

Construction began May 4, but more extensive traffic disruption begins Monday. West Cunningham will be closed at the intersection, and while SR 17 will be open, there will be delays.

"(From) May 11, one-way alternating traffic controlled by temporary signals will remain in place, including weekends and off-duty hours," Sebastian Moraga, communications consultant with the Washington State Department of Transportation North Central region, wrote in a press release.

Construction crews will be working from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Moraga said. Project completion is scheduled for mid-July.

"The final phase of the work, striping and seeding, will occur at night with the roundabout available to travelers and flagger-controlled traffic when necessary," Moraga said.

There will be detour routes with signs via Lee Road to the west of SR 17, Booker Road to the east and State Route 26 to the south for people who want to avoid the intersection.

While the only project along Interstate 90 so far is southwest of Quincy, drivers should prepare for construction along I-90 in the Moses Lake area - a project that wasn't on the calendar when the year began.

There's no start date yet for the replacement of the Hansen Road overpass, but construction is on its way in about six weeks.

"We won't know the start date until the contract is executed," said Summer Derrey, assistant communications manager for the WSDOT South Central region, in answer to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald.

The bridge was closed in January after severe structural damage was discovered. Department of Transportation officials ultimately decided to rebuild it, and Chris Keifenheim, administrator for the DOT's North Central region, said earlier this year the project is tentatively scheduled for midsummer. Derry said that's still the plan.

"The construction office said a late June-early July start date is likely," she said.

This is, of course, the third year of construction on the Vantage Bridge, a project that's scheduled for completion in 2028. Getting to and from the bridge is a little more complicated in summer 2026, at least at night - sections of I-90 are being repaved between the bridge and George.

Moraga said crews will be working at night, so drivers should plan accordingly.

"Work will occur from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday each week," Moraga said. "Contractors will repave and restripe approximately 11 miles of I-90 to extend the service life of the pavement."

Crews will be grinding down the existing pavement and resurfacing ramps and travel lanes both eastbound and westbound. Drivers should be prepared for lane closures, delays and reduced speed limits in the work zone.

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