Washington State Route 397
Encyclopedia
State Route 397 is a state highway in Benton
and Frankin counties, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends 11.23 miles (18.07 km) from Piert Road in Finley
, 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 (57.9 m) east from Piert Road/SR 397 to South Piert Road.
SR 397 was approved by the Washington State Legislature
in 1991, about 1 miles (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.
, north over the Ed Hendler Bridge, also known as 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 links Finley, Kennewick
, and Pasco. 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 starts at South Piert Road in the community of Finley
. From 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
.
After passing through Finley, SR 397 goes East through the Horse Heaven Hills south of the Tri-Cities to connect into Interstate 82
and US 395 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.
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 2.4 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.
Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
and Frankin counties, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends 11.23 miles (18.07 km) from Piert Road in Finley
Finley, Washington
Finley is a census-designated place in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,012 at the 2010 census. It is located to the southeast of the larger city of Kennewick.-History:...
, north on the Cable Bridge
Cable Bridge
The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes called the Intercity Bridge, spans the Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick in southeastern Washington as State Route 397...
over the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, to Interstate 182
Interstate 182
Interstate 182 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-82 west of Richland to US 12 in Pasco. It serves the Tri-Cities. The whole length of I-182 is concurrent with US 12, which extends westwards to Yakima, Naches, and Aberdeen and extends eastwards to Walla Walla, Lewiston, Idaho,...
(I-182), U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near...
(US 12), and US 395
U.S. Route 395 in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, U.S. Route 395 is a major state highway in two parts, separated by a long overlap with Interstate 90 between Ritzville and Spokane. The southern piece, from I-82 near the Tri-Cities to I-90 near Ritzville, is a high-speed four-lane divided highway...
in Pasco
Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
. The route serves as a connector between Finley, Kennewick
Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
, and Pasco. The road that SR 397 uses, Chemical Drive, continues for 190 feet (57.9 m) east from Piert Road/SR 397 to South Piert Road.
SR 397 was approved by the Washington State Legislature
Washington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bipartisan, bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, with 49 Senators.The State Legislature...
in 1991, about 1 miles (1.6 km) shorter. Even though SR 397 was approved by the Washington State Legislature and the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
(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
Interstate 82
Interstate 82 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington to I-84 near Umatilla, Oregon in the United States. In the state of Washington, it serves the cities of Ellensburg, Yakima, and the Tri Cities , and in Oregon, it serves Umatilla and Hermiston...
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
Horse Heaven Hills
The Horse Heaven Hills are a long range of high, rolling hills in Klickitat, Yakima, and Benton counties in Washington State located east of Satus Creek and west of the Columbia River between the Yakima River and the Wallula Gap. The hills are an anticline ridge in the Yakima fold belt formed by...
, located west of SR 397, I-82, and US 395. The road, when completed, will start at I-82/US 395 south of Kennewick
Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
, and is expected to go northeast and then curve southeast and then eastward into Finley and onto SR 397.
Route description
SR 397 runs 11.23 miles (18.07 km) from Piert Road in FinleyFinley, Washington
Finley is a census-designated place in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,012 at the 2010 census. It is located to the southeast of the larger city of Kennewick.-History:...
, north over the Ed Hendler Bridge, also known as the Cable Bridge, over the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
to Interstate 182
Interstate 182
Interstate 182 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-82 west of Richland to US 12 in Pasco. It serves the Tri-Cities. The whole length of I-182 is concurrent with US 12, which extends westwards to Yakima, Naches, and Aberdeen and extends eastwards to Walla Walla, Lewiston, Idaho,...
(I-182), U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near...
(US 12), and US 395
U.S. Route 395 in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, U.S. Route 395 is a major state highway in two parts, separated by a long overlap with Interstate 90 between Ritzville and Spokane. The southern piece, from I-82 near the Tri-Cities to I-90 near Ritzville, is a high-speed four-lane divided highway...
in Pasco
Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
. The route links Finley, Kennewick
Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
, and Pasco. 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 starts at South Piert Road in the community of Finley
Finley, Washington
Finley is a census-designated place in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,012 at the 2010 census. It is located to the southeast of the larger city of Kennewick.-History:...
. From South Piert Road, SR 397 goes west and crosses the railroad tracks of a railroad operated by the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, 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
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. From the crossing, SR 397 travels between the two railroads into Kennewick
Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
.
In Kennewick, the road goes north and intersects East Columbia Drive, which goes west to SR 240
Washington State Route 240
State Route 240 is a busy state highway servicing the Tri-Cities of Washington and the Hanford Site.-Route description:Its eastern end begins at the southern end of the Blue Bridge in central Kennewick as an offshoot of U.S. Route 395...
and US 395
U.S. Route 395 in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, U.S. Route 395 is a major state highway in two parts, separated by a long overlap with Interstate 90 between Ritzville and Spokane. The southern piece, from I-82 near the Tri-Cities to I-90 near Ritzville, is a high-speed four-lane divided highway...
, and then goes onto the Cable Bridge
Cable Bridge
The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes called the Intercity Bridge, spans the Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick in southeastern Washington as State Route 397...
over the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
into Pasco
Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
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
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
with I-182
Interstate 182
Interstate 182 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-82 west of Richland to US 12 in Pasco. It serves the Tri-Cities. The whole length of I-182 is concurrent with US 12, which extends westwards to Yakima, Naches, and Aberdeen and extends eastwards to Walla Walla, Lewiston, Idaho,...
, US 12
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near...
, and US 395
U.S. Route 395 in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, U.S. Route 395 is a major state highway in two parts, separated by a long overlap with Interstate 90 between Ritzville and Spokane. The southern piece, from I-82 near the Tri-Cities to I-90 near Ritzville, is a high-speed four-lane divided highway...
.
After passing through Finley, SR 397 goes East through the Horse Heaven Hills south of the Tri-Cities to connect into Interstate 82
Interstate 82
Interstate 82 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington to I-84 near Umatilla, Oregon in the United States. In the state of Washington, it serves the cities of Ellensburg, Yakima, and the Tri Cities , and in Oregon, it serves Umatilla and Hermiston...
and US 395 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
State highways in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation maintains a network of over 7000 miles of state highways, including all Interstate and U.S. Highways that pass through the state. The system comprises 8.5% of the state's public road mileage, but carries over half...
system in 2009.
History
Cable Bridge
The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes called the Intercity Bridge, spans the Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick in southeastern Washington as State Route 397...
, officially the Ed Hendler Bridge, was opened on September 16, 1978, and was built to replace the Pasco – Kennewick Bridge
Pasco-Kennewick Bridge (1922)
The Pasco-Kennewick Bridge or Benton-Franklin Inter-County Bridge, known locally as the Green Bridge, was a steel cantilever truss bridge crossing the Columbia River in central Washington, connecting the cities of Pasco and Kennewick...
, 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
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and carried a section of the Yellowstone Trail
Yellowstone Trail
The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental automobile highway through the upper tier of states in the United States. It ran from Massachusetts to Seattle. It was conceived by J.W. Parmley of Ipswich, South Dakota in 1912. Originally, Parmley and his business colleagues wanted a good road...
from 1912 until 1930, State Road 3 from 1923 until 1937, U.S. Route 410
U.S. Route 410
U.S. Route 410 was one of the west–east state highways. It ran from an intersection with US 101 in Aberdeen, Washington to US 95 in Lewiston, Idaho. The route had concurrencies with SR 8, US 99, and US 395. Even though the number indicates that US 410 was a spur of U.S. Route 10, US 410 never...
(US 410) from 1926 until 1967, Primary State Highway 3 (PSH 3) from 1937 until 1970, and US 12
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near...
from 1967 until 1984, at the opening of the Interstate 182 Bridge
Interstate 182 Bridge
The Interstate 182 Bridge, formally known as the Lee-Volpentest Bridges is the collective name for a pair of bridges carrying Interstate 182 over the Columbia River between Pasco and Richland in the U.S. state of Washington. They are named after Glenn C. Lee, publisher of the Tri-City Herald, and...
.
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
Interstate 82
Interstate 82 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington to I-84 near Umatilla, Oregon in the United States. In the state of Washington, it serves the cities of Ellensburg, Yakima, and the Tri Cities , and in Oregon, it serves Umatilla and Hermiston...
to SR 397 Intertie is a new 2-lane roadway being constructed from I-82/US 395
U.S. Route 395 in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, U.S. Route 395 is a major state highway in two parts, separated by a long overlap with Interstate 90 between Ritzville and Spokane. The southern piece, from I-82 near the Tri-Cities to I-90 near Ritzville, is a high-speed four-lane divided highway...
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 2.4 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.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton Benton County, Washington Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick... |
0.00 | Southern terminus | ||
| Finley Finley, Washington Finley is a census-designated place in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,012 at the 2010 census. It is located to the southeast of the larger city of Kennewick.-History:... |
11.08 | Piert Road | Former southern terminus | |
| Columbia River Columbia River The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state... |
18.32 | Cable Bridge Cable Bridge The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes called the Intercity Bridge, spans the Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick in southeastern Washington as State Route 397... |
||
| Franklin | Pasco Pasco, Washington Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington... |
22.31 | Northern terminus | |