With construction underway as Project Downtown Pullman progresses, the Pullman Police Department has announced revised traffic revisions.
“For this reason, trucks longer than 40 feet in length are prohibited from using SE Paradise Street/E Main Street,” Pullman PD said in an Instagram post. “All vehicles 40 or more feet in length must use the alternate route (S Grand Avenue (SR 27) and SE Bishop Boulevard).”
With these temporary revised traffic revisions in place, the Pullman PD has also reminded drivers to be mindful of pedestrians.
“In addition, ALL drivers are reminded to yield to pedestrians at downtown crosswalks, including those where traffic signals were previously in use,” Pullman PD said.
Pullman PD has also increased patrols in the area to maintain safety in a time of irregularity, according to Pullman PD.
“In the planned reconfiguration, the intersection will remain at a Level of Service D,” the Project’s official website said. “Traffic modeling suggests that based on Pullman’s growth, the level of service at the Grand and Main intersection will fall to a level F in 5-10 years.”
According to the Project, the intersection of Main Street and Grand Avenue receives a grade of D from the Washington Department of Transportation.
Though traffic is temporarily being diverted to make way for Project Downtown Pullman construction, the goal of the Project is to avoid the current downward trend of increasingly busy traffic as the City of Pullman grows.
The intersection of Main Street and Grand Avenue receives a grade of D from the Washington Department of Transportation. The WSDOT uses a lettering system of “A” through “F”, with A being the highest quality of service, and F being an “unacceptable level of service,” according to the Project’s official website.
This is an acceptable level of service in downtown areas, according to the Project. While Project Downtown Pullman is not intended to directly improve traffic, the Project was conceptualized in a way to maintain its current level of service and avoid negative trends.
Project Downtown Pullman was first conceived in January 2022 when a diverse team of consultants were hired by the City of Pullman to assist in reconceptualizing Pullman to better fit the vision of a walkable and vibrant downtown area, according to the Project’s official website.
With the final concept design reflecting both public and private interests, the concept design was first approved on August 9, 2022, by the Pullman City Council. Project Downtown Pullman was delayed when the Pullman City Council unanimously voted on March 14, 2023, to push back construction, citing numerous concerns, according to Project Downtown Pullman.
“Citing factors such as timely project completion, supply chain issues, anticipated contractor availability, and the potential economic impact on downtown businesses still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pullman City Council delayed the bidding process to the fall of 2023 in anticipation of staring construction in April 2024,” the Project’s official website said.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the Project finally took place on April 2, 2024, with engineering firm Welch Comer leading phase one of the Project.
A steering committee appointed by the City of Pullman is guiding Welch Comer. This committee consists of eight community members, each of which being a business owner or homeowner in downtown Pullman. The Steering Committee also includes representatives from the Downtown Pullman Association and the Pullman City Council.