MILLWOOD, Wash. — After months of road work, lane closures and traffic congestion, the City of Millwood says all lanes on Argonne Road will reopen by the end of Friday — about a month ahead of schedule.
The city said the the construction project, which started in July, was a necessary undertaking and overdue. However, business owners say it reduced foot traffic through the area.
Greg Mott, owner of Corner Door Fountain and Books, said he felt the effects firsthand.
“It is disappointing to not have the customers feeling that they’re able to come this direction or that they have to avoid the area,” Mott said.
This was the second summer in a row that the road has been under construction, continuing a multi-phase project that started last year.
So far, this summer’s work has involved re-paving the area between Trent Avenue and the Union Pacific Railroad and updating pedestrian curbs to meet ADA standards.
Mayor Shawna Beese said she acknowledges the challenges the project created for the community. The city met with business owners weekly in an effort to minimize negative effects and keep them informed throughout the construction period.
“When traffic patterns on a road like this are altered, it is impossible to mitigate all the impacts on the community, but we made every effort to keep the community informed and engaged,” Beese said in a statement.
Still, Mott said he’s looking forward to a change.
“It’s sure going to be good to have this construction over with and be able to go a while without any construction or backups based on that,” Mott said.
More construction is still ahead. In February or March, the city will install a new crosswalk signal at the intersection of Argonne Road and Buckeye Avenue. Around the same time, crews will repair cracks in the road surface. That work is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Beese said a third phase of the project has been delayed by several years.
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