Dedication of Improved River Road Tuesday

Dedication ceremonies marking completion of major improvements to River Road in Yakima will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 2:00 p.m.

Representatives from the City of Yakima, Washington Fruit, the Yakima School District and the State of Washington have been invited to attend the ceremony to discuss the importance of the project to Yakima's economy. The event will be held in front of Stanton Academy at 802 River Road.

Funding for the $1.4 million project, which began in June, included $300,000 from Washington Fruit, more than $211,000 from the Yakima School District, $639,000 from the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board. The City of Yakima paid the balance of the project costs. The 10-block section of River Road between sixth avenue and 16th Avenue has been reconstructed and widened. The project also included the installation of new curbs, gutters, sidewalks, lighting, and stormwater system infrastructure.

Washington Fruit has more than 100 apple trucks arriving daily at its packing and cold storage facility on River Road. Several other neighboring agricultural and freight-related businesses also use River Road as a quick and convenient connection to the State Highway System. The Yakima School District's Stanton Academy, with more than 350 students and staff, also benefits from the project by having improved access and increased safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Completion of the roadway finishes the River Road Corridor which was designed to ensure that River Road remains a major commercial, industrial, and fruit processing area.