Major Safety Changes On The Way To a Yakima Intersection

It's late June and city engineers continue to work on making a intersection safer in Yakima where two people died earlier this year.
Authorities say they've seen numerous crashes at the intersection over the last two years and a double fatal three-car crash at the intersection on March 20. Two days later a near head-on crash was reported at the intersection on March 22. Now city officials are doing what they can to prevent another deadly crash at 48th Avenue and Washington Avenue. Yakima City Engineer Bill Preston tells KIT News they're now implementing safety changes at the intersection after studying the situation.

Three actions will be taken this year to hopefully improve the intersection

He says they soon plan to restrict large trucks from driving on South 48th Avenue. Your speed radar signs are now being installed along Washington Avenue to hopefully slow traffic as it approaches the intersection making it safer for drivers who are entering Washington Avenue from 48th Avenue. Later this year a left turn exceleration lane will be installed so drivers can speed up in the lane before entering traffic similar to exceleration lanes on Highway 12. Other changes are possible in the future in an effort to make the intersection safer.

It's a busy construction season already this summer

Summertime is construction time and while city engineers work to improve safety at the intersection of 48th Avenue and Washington Avenue city crews are busy with a number of other street projects as the summer construction season gets underway.