City of Walla Walla

Pine Street Reconstruction Project

Thank you for visiting the Pine Street Reconstruction Project Virtual Open House! The Open House was available for viewing and comments from March 21 to April 4, 2025. Submitted comments and questions will be incorporated into the project webpage.

Project Overview

The City of Walla Walla will reconstruct Pine Street from Second Avenue to Cayuse Street beginning in spring 2026 and continuing through late fall 2026. The project will replace  the failing asphalt pavement and enhance  the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists by adding  buffered bike lanes and constructing pedestrian bulb-outs at intersections. Additional improvements include water main and sanitary sewer main replacement, a new storm drain system, and new streetlights. The project will also improve the safety and operation of the intersection by   installing a compact roundabout at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Pine Street. 

Pine Street Reconstruction Project Overview 

Safety Improvements

9th Avenue Roundabout and Multi-use Path

The 9th Avenue and Pine Street intersection, part of State Route 125, experiences heavy truck traffic. Over the past three years, 14 accidents, including three with injuries, occurred in the project corridor. In accordance with Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) policy, roundabouts must be considered for their proven safety and operational benefits. A single-lane compact roundabout was identified as the best solution, as roundabouts have been shown to reduce total collisions by 37%, injury collisions by 75%, pedestrian-related collisions by 40%, and fatal collisions by 90% 

The roundabout will include a 10-foot-wide multi-use pathway for bicycles and pedestrians, allowing cyclists to bypass the roundabout if preferred. Curb bulb-outs, bicycle lanes, and ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps will further enhance safety, reduce pedestrian crossing distances, and improve visibility. New streetlights will also improve visibility for all users.

Pine Street and 5th Avenue Cul-de-sac

The intersection of 5th Avenue and Pine Street will also be modified as part of the project. Currently, the intersection is skewed, with a large painted island on the asphalt. The skewed intersection is made more complicated for drivers because it is located on a curve in the road for Pine Street.  The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has found that crash rates increase the more an intersection is skewed. To improve safety, the southern leg of 5th Avenue will be converted into a cul-de-sac, eliminating its connection with Pine Street. The northern leg of the intersection will remain as a T-intersection with Pine Street. By eliminating the connection of the southern leg, the skewed intersection will be removed. This will greatly improve the safety of the intersection.

The project will replace segments of the existing water main to provide connections from the existing steel mains to existing newer ductile iron mains. Similarly, segments of the sanitary sewer main, installed approximately 60 years ago, will be replaced as the aging infrastructure is reaching the end of its service life.

The City received a grant from the Department of Ecology to improve the stormwater system within the project corridor. Currently, stormwater within the corridor is collected in a piped system and discharges to Butcher Creek which drains into Mill Creek. The project will install a combination of swales and stormwater treatment devices to remove pollutants. In addition, new infiltration galleries will be installed to filter much of the stormwater within the project limits. The project will maintain the existing piped storm system to act as an overflow for large storm events.

Example of an existing stormwater swale on Isaacs Avenue

Project Stages:   

Stage 1 (September 2025): 
Work will stretch from 2nd Avenue up to the 9th Avenue intersection.  The first stage will continue through the winter of 2025/2026 as the weather allows.

Stage 2 (Spring 2026):  
Construction around the Pine/9th Avenue (SR-125) intersection will begin in the spring of 2026, with all work scheduled to be completed by fall 2026.

Project Cost: $8,500,000

How will this project be funded?

In addition to local funding sources, the City has received multiple federal and state grants.

• $2.7M - Transportation Benefit District (TBD) 
• $1.7M - Washington Department of Ecology grant
• $1.2M - National Highway Freight Program grant:
• $1.2M - Washington State Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Program
• $450K – City Water Utility
• $375K – Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG)
• $300K – City Sewer Utility
• $258K – Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant
• $43K – Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Grant

Project Design and Detour Routes