Creating an environment of cooperation among the 4 cities that encompass the Tri-Cities is the theme that local officials want to encourage, as they addressed the group that attended the 8th annual State of the Cities meeting on Wednesday, at the Tri City Regional Chamber of Commerce offices. Growth of the cities has put our area on the map, so to speak and each individual city has outlined the projects that they feel will add to the growth while benefiting it’s citizenry.
Richland has plans of widening Keene Road from Queensgate to West Richland, and adding a spray park to the Badger Mountain Community Park along Keene. They will also work in cooperation with Kennewick to reconstruct Steptoe Street and make a decision about the future location of the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center, among other projects.
Pasco, Kennewick and Richland will work in partnership on the studying the best location for the next bridge crossing the Columbia River.
Pasco officials and the Port of Pasco are looking into the development of the river shoreline east of the cable bridge, additional infrastructure as a support of future growth and industrialization, a $9 million water treatment facility, and the creation of a new overpass at Lewis Street.
Kennewick officials are looking for increased private development of the Vista Entertainment District and to the development of the Southridge area, which they expect will include 60% of the cities future growth. The city is planning the Bridge-to-Bridge, River-to-Rail effort with the Port of Kennewick, which consists of a major overhaul of the property that lies between the blue and cable bridges.
West Richland is looking to expand the economic base and expand infrastructure between Red and Badger Mountains, and invest in tourism with regards to the wine industry as a way to add to the regional vision, and increase growth in that community.
In a time when costs to each municipality are increasing, funding from the state faces cuts, and the residents want more metropolitan projects, the officials in each city are optimistic about continued growth. Let’s be optimistic along with them – Time will tell……..