SR 26 closure start date likely coming this week

A project to replace a crumbling bridge deck over railroad tracks on State Route 26 east of Othello was scheduled to start earlier this month but now won’t get underway until at least the first full week of September. The work will require the full closure of the most popular route to Pullman for those coming from west of the Cascades for games.

A spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Transportation told CougCenter they are waiting on project approval from Burlington Northern Santa Fe because the work would take place over their tracks. The spokesperson said they are hoping to have an official start date for the project by the end of this week with the start of the project coming about a week after that announcement.

We first talked about this project last month and highlighted the detours around the closure. The original project schedule likely would have kept the road closed through the first three games of the year but there’s now a chance that extends through the Dad’s Weekend game against the Cal Golden Bears. The DOT had planned on doing the work early next year but, as you can see, that’s not really an option.

We’ll keep an eye on an official closure date and pass it along as soon as it comes out.