County officials report new federal and state funding for Highway 12 Phase 8; land acquisition to begin

Walla Walla County commissioners said May 12 that federal and state funding for Phase 8 of the Highway 12 corridor project has advanced to the point that the county can begin land-acquisition work.

Commissioner Todd L. Kimball, who recently led a delegation to Washington, D.C., told the board that the project currently includes about $108 million in federal funding and roughly $53 million from the state. "The $108,000,000 was the largest rural grant from the federal government they have ever given," Kimball said during the meeting.

The board heard that the project has reached 100 percent design and that county public-works staff can begin pursuing property rights and easements. Kimball said the county expects to contact roughly 90 separately owned properties for easements or rights needed to build the road, and that the process could slow the project if acquisitions prove contentious: "It's a long process. We all know there's nothing easy about land acquisition and easements."

Officials described a planned schedule tied to fish-window requirements and design milestones. Kimball said the team still expects to complete certain fish-window work and related pieces by January 2028, but noted that timeline could slip if land-acquisition negotiations are prolonged.

Board members also discussed the scale of the overall funding need for Phase 8, which the meeting record estimated at roughly $300 million to $350 million. Kimball said the county has to assemble funding in pieces and acknowledged that federal and state notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) will determine how and when additional construction dollars become available.

The commissioners credited congressional offices and state leaders for helping secure the current funding commitments. Kimball named senators and staff whose work he said helped bring the larger federal award to the region.

Background: Commissioners and public-works staff said the highway project has been in planning for many years and that Phase 8 advances are the result of multiple funding steps. Public-works staff cautioned the board that the county’s immediate next tasks will emphasize appraisals, outreach to property owners and the legal steps needed for easements, rather than construction work.

Looking ahead, the board asked staff to continue regular updates as the county progresses through property negotiations, permits and future funding applications.