Existed: 1991 – present Constructed 1991 | Length 35.9 km | |
 | ||
South end: I‑82 / US 395 near Finley North end: I‑182 / US 12 / US 395 in Pasco | ||
State Route 397 (SR 397) is a state highway in Benton and Frankin counties, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends 22.31 miles (35.90 km) from Interstate 82 east towards Piert Road in Finley before going north on the Cable Bridge over the Columbia River, to Interstate 182 (I-182), U.S. Route 12 (US 12), and US 395 in Pasco. The route serves as a connector between Finley, Kennewick, and Pasco. The road that SR 397 uses, Chemical Drive, continues for 190 feet (58 m) east from Piert Road/SR 397 to South Piert Road.
Contents
Map of WA-397, Washington, USA
SR 397 was approved by the Washington State Legislature in 1991, about 1 mile (1.6 km) shorter. Even though SR 397 was approved by the Washington State Legislature and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in 1991, no signs went up until the law that made SR 397 took effect on April 1, 1992. Later in 1993, the Legislature extended SR 397 to its current southern end. WSDOT and Benton County are currently constructing a connection between I-82 and US 395 and SR 397, dubbed the I-82 to SR 397 Intertie, officially County Route 397 by WSDOT and the Transportation Improvement Board, which is a bypass through the eastern area of the Horse Heaven Hills, located west of SR 397, I-82, and US 395. The road, when completed, will start at I-82/US 395 south of Kennewick, and is expected to go northeast and then curve southeast and then eastward into Finley and onto SR 397.
Route description
SR 397 runs 24.6 miles from Interstate 82 in central Benton Country east to Piert Road in Finley, then north towards the Columbia River and over the Cable Bridge to Interstate 182 (I-182), U.S. Route 12 (US 12), and US 395 in Pasco. The route links Finley, Kennewick, and Pasco to each other and Interstate 82 heading towards Oregon. WSDOT has found that about 18,000 motorists utilize the road daily before the intersection with West Ainsworth Street and South Tenth Avenue in Finley based on average annual daily traffic (AADT) data. SR 397's newest section goes east through the Horse Heaven Hills south of the Tri-Cities from Interstate 82 and US 395 to South Piert Road to create an easier route for truckers traveling between I-82 and the Finley Chemical Plant. This section of SR 397 was added to the Washington State Highway system in 2009.
SR 397 starts at Interstate 82, running eastward towards an intersection with Olympia Street in the hills south of Kennewick. It curves towards the south while still heading east and turns into Finley Road before turning towards the northeast. When it arrives at South Piert Road, SR 397 goes west and crosses the railroad tracks of a railroad operated by the BNSF Railway, and then turns northwest, paralleling the railroad into Downtown Finley. After entering Downtown, the road stops paralleling the railroad for about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to intersect East Bowles Road and South Haney Road, before then returns to paralleling the railroad. The highway continues northwest to intersect East Perkins Road and East Bryson Brown Road, before north and crossing another railroad, part of the Union Pacific Railroad. From the crossing, SR 397 travels between the two railroads into Kennewick.
In Kennewick, the road goes north and intersects East Columbia Drive, which goes west to SR 240 and US 395, and then goes onto the Cable Bridge over the Columbia River into Pasco and Franklin County. After getting off of the Cable Bridge, the highway goes east as Ainsworth Street and again crosses BNSF Railway, before turning north and crossing the BNSF Railway twice. After crossing the railroads, SR 397 goes into Downtown Pasco and then the highway ends at a cloverleaf interchange with I-182, US 12, and US 395.
History
The Cable Bridge, officially the Ed Hendler Bridge, was opened on September 16, 1978, and was built to replace the Pasco – Kennewick Bridge, also known as the Benton – Franklin Inter-County Bridge, that ran parallel to the bridge. The Pasco – Kennewick Bridge was dedicated and opened on October 21, 1922, and was demolished in 1995. The Pasco – Kennewick Bridge was constructed during World War I and carried a section of the Yellowstone Trail from 1912 until 1930, State Road 3 from 1923 until 1937, U.S. Route 410 (US 410) from 1926 until 1967, Primary State Highway 3 (PSH 3) from 1937 until 1970, and US 12 from 1967 until 1984, at the opening of the Interstate 182 Bridge.
SR 397 became a state highway in 1991, and the highway designation took effect on April 1, 1992. When SR 397 was originally created, it started about one mile (1.6 km) north of its current southern ending. It was later extended in 1993. The I-82 to SR 397 Intertie is a new 2-lane roadway being constructed from I-82/US 395 at exit 114 to SR 397 in Finley. The road, which is expected to be 11.03 miles (17.75 km) long and the highway from I-82/US 395 to Olympia Street, about 3.24 miles (5.21 km) long, was completed in November 2004. The second section of the road, from Olympia Street to Finley Road, about 5.39 miles (8.67 km) long, was completed in 2005. The third segment, from Finley Road to SR 397, about 2.40 miles (3.86 km) long, was expected to be completed in 2005, but is still under construction as of October 2008. In addition, the intertie is funded by multiple funding partners, which are listed on a sign at the current end of the intertie. WSDOT, a state fuel tax, Benton County, the Federal Reserve, and the Port of Kennewick funded this project and the project's engineer is JUB Engineers, Inc., and the contractor for the project is Steelman-Duff Inc. Also, the road is officially called County Route 397, but WSDOT considers it an extension or part of SR 397.