Improving safety along US 395 north of Pasco

Safety is our top priority. We know many people in the Tri-Cities have concerns about safety along US 395 north of Pasco. We want to share the improvements already made and why. We also want to share how we’re continuing to work with the community to improve safety.

Understanding the safety challenges

The section of US 395 from south of Foster Wells Road to just north of Eltopia has seen more crashes in recent years. Between 2020 and 2025, there were 293 crashes. That includes:

• 12 fatal crashes
• 19 fatalities
• 10 serious injury crashes
• 18 serious injuries

We take every crash seriously. We’ve reviewed locations along US 395 to identify patterns. That has helped us decide if safety improvements could help reduce crashes.

Our review found many of the fatal crashes shared similar characteristics. Most happened during daylight hours and in clear weather conditions. These crashes often involve drivers entering US 395 from side streets onto a high-speed highway. The Washington State Patrol also helped us to better understand the factors behind these recent crashes. Their investigations showed that a key issue was that drivers have a hard time judging the speed of vehicles already on US 395.

Safety improvements completed

In 2020, we completed a $15 million project to improve safety at several intersections, including these roads:

• Foster Wells
• Vineyard
• Phend
• Crestloch
• Sagemoor
• East Elm
• Eltopia West

Improvements included new acceleration and deceleration lanes, upgraded lighting and enhancing warning and directional signs.

Recently, we added signs along this road to warn drivers about vehicles entering and exiting. This is part of our ongoing efforts along US 395, not a result of recent legislation. These changes give drivers more time and space to safely merge, slow down, and react to traffic conditions.

Why the speed limit change

Following our review of the corridor, we reduced the speed limit from 70 mph to 65 mph in key areas earlier this year. Speed limits aren’t set randomly. We evaluate roadway design, traffic conditions, access points, and crash history when deciding on speeds. Lower speeds give drivers more time to react and can help make the crashes less severe if they do happen.

Education is the next step

As we reviewed crashes along the corridor, one common theme stood out. Drivers didn’t know how to use the acceleration and deceleration lanes. This makes the need for driver education even more important.

When you are driving on US 395, stay alert for vehicles entering from side streets. Be prepared for traffic slowing near intersections and businesses. When entering the highway, use the full length of the acceleration lanes to reach traffic speed before merging. When exiting the highway, move into the deceleration lane early and use the lane to slow down after leaving the main travel lanes. Slowing down in the through lane can create unexpected conflicts for drivers behind you.

The Washington State Patrol and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission helped us make a driver education video on entering and exiting the highway. We are giving safety information to local businesses. We’ll also be at community events with information to help drivers better understand the corridor.

Looking ahead

We are still tracking crash trends. We will evaluate future safety options. There are currently no funded projects planned, but more improvements may be considered if funding becomes available.

Improving safety on US 395 requires a combination of engineering, education, enforcement, and community partnership. We appreciate the community’s continued engagement as we work together to make this corridor safer for everyone.