A Rock Island contractor has the green light to begin construction on the so-called "MegaKittrick" project along Wenatchee Avenue.

At its Thursday night meeting, the Wenatchee City Council approved $6.38 million for lowest bidder J&K Earthworks to begin construction on the project within the vicinity of McKittrick, North Wenatchee Avenue, and North Columbia Street.

Mayor Frank Kuntz took time to recognize one of the project's key players.

"I'm sad to some degree, for those who don't know, Gary Owen retired as city engineer on December 30th, that he's not here to watch this project come to fruition." Kuntz said.

The funds to pay for the project come from Federal Surface Transportation Funds and local allocations of funding through the Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council and Washington State Department of Transportation.

After the project is complete, we should see a new traffic signal at McKittrick and North Wenatchee Avenue, the extension of McKittrick Street to a new intersection with North Columbia Street, and new landscaping and pedestrian features along North Wenatchee Avenue.

Construction is expected to begin this spring.

The City of Wenatchee also has the go-ahead to begin spending against the city’s Federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant which will allow the city to move forward on pre-design for Confluence Parkway between Maple Street and Hawley Street to the tune of approximately $83 million.

Lastly, the Move Ahead Washington transportation investment budget currently proposes to support Confluence Parkway between Hawley Street and SR 97A with $28 million in 2023-2025, $47 million in 2025-2027 and $10 million in 2027-2029.

The Washington State Legislature will consider the Move Ahead proposed budget in the 2023 session which began this month.

 

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