Former State Lawmaker From Selah Has His Own Road

State Route 823 through Selah is rerouted and open for smoother traffic. Traffic engineers estimate the new route will reduce traffic congestion on First Street by one-third.

Today, project team members from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Hurst Construction of Wenatchee joined city and state officials to celebrate the opening of a new portion of SR 823 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

“I thought this project would never happen,” said Mayor Bob Jones of Selah, who lobbied for years for the road improvements. “Thanks to the hard work by our local legislatures, this project got funded.”

The city of Selah passed an ordinance changing the name of the new route from S Wenas Avenue to Jim Clements Way in honor of Jim Clements, who represented Selah in the 14th Legislative District for 13 years a senator and representative.

Funded by the 2005 gas tax, the first phase of this $9.3 million project:

• paved, widened and extended S Wenas Avenue, now know as Jim Clements Way, to relieve traffic congestion on First Street by providing an alternate route on the new alignment for through traffic and trucks

• installed sidewalks along the new route to improve safety and access for pedestrians

• installed traffic signals at E Fremont Avenue and N Wenas Road (SR 823) and at the intersection of E Naches Avenue and Jim Clements Way to relieve traffic congestion and improve access to businesses

Next year, for the second and final phase of this project, crews will reconstruct and widen Railroad Avenue to better accommodate truck traffic.