The City of Wenatchee is in position to begin enforcement of a no-camping ordinance this month to combat the tents erected by homeless individuals on the grassy areas along the eastbound onramp to the Sellar Bridge and the sidewalk passing underneath the span.

Mayor Mike Poirier says the new ordinance 2024-21 will expand Wenatchee's jurisdiction to include enforcement on the WSDOT property surounding the west end of the span.

"The property we maintain, we can start using our codes now.  It used to be just on city property but now we passed this ordinance for other property that we don't own" Poirier said.

"It comes down to safety and concern about how we care about people" Poirier said.

"it's not the homeless, it's the behavior  of people that's the issue"   The mayor says the cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee have created enough low barrier housing options including pallet shelters so people on the streets do not have to be without shelter.

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The new Wenatchee ordinance expanding the anti-camping code passed earlier this year goes into effect October 31st.

The changes also enable the City to prevent people from blocking the sidewalk area under the bridge on South Wenatchee avenue.

The city is working with the Department of Transportation to erect fencing underneath the Wenatchee Avenue overpass to protect bridge infrastructure.

City Administator Laura Gloria says graffitti and tampering to bridge lighting have been an issue so security fancing will be installed in the next couple of months.

Gloria says the city has increased safety lighting near the west end of the bridge to improve visibilty for  problem jaywalking accross the western approach to the bridge.  There have been complaints to the city about the dangerous conditions caused by people trying to walk accross several lanes of traffic at night instead of using a nearlby crosswalk.

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Gallery Credit: Billy Jenkins

 

 

 

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