SR-125 detour driving traffic into College Place; council weighs enforcement and long-term fixes

Council members at the Jan. 6 workshop discussed traffic impacts from a construction detour at SR-125 in Myra that will reroute vehicles onto Commercial Drive and portions of the city. Staff said the detour route has been permitted and planners have been working on the reroute for over a year.

One council member reported seeing backups of 25 to 30 cars attempting to enter College Place during peak times. City planning staff cautioned that making an immediate change to signals or intersection control could create safety issues while traffic patterns are still adjusting: "I'm not a traffic engineer, and I'm just a city planner," one staff member said while explaining why sudden signal revisions can be risky. Councilors discussed enforcement plans for drivers avoiding the 4-way stop, the possibility of directing officers to manage flows, and the longer-term question of funding and feasibility for a roundabout at a nearby intersection.

Staff proposed adding a transportation work session with department traffic staff to present data, consider counts and explore funding opportunities. No formal decision was made; councilors asked staff to track traffic counts and return with options.