Interstate 82

Interstate 82 is an east–west limited-access highway traversing parts of Umatilla County, Oregon, Benton County, Washington, Yakima County, Washington, and Kittitas County, Washington. The route connects the Columbia River corridor with the Yakima Valley and the central Cascade Range approaches, linking regional centers such as Umatilla, Oregon, Kennewick, Washington, Richland, Washington, Yakima, Washington, and Ellensburg, Washington. It serves freight, agricultural transport, and intercity travel between the Columbia River, Hanford Site, and inland Washington communities.

Route description

Beginning near Umatilla, Oregon on the south bank of the Columbia River, the highway crosses into Washington soon after the connection with US 30 and the Umatilla Bridge. The corridor runs northeast, skirting the western approaches to the Blue Mountains and providing access to Tri-Cities, Washington including Kennewick, Richland, Washington, and Pasco, Washington via interchanges with US 12 and US 395. East of Richland, Washington, the route parallels portions of the Yakima River basin, interchanging with state routes that serve agricultural centers in the Yakima Valley and communities such as Prosser, Washington and Naches, Washington. Approaching Yakima, Washington, the freeway bypasses central urban streets and connects with arterial routes that lead to Selah, Washington, Sunnyside, Washington, and Toppenish, Washington. Northeast of Yakima, Washington the alignment climbs into the foothills toward Ellensburg, Washington, providing access to Yakima Training Center and joining with I-90 near the Yakima River crossing and the approaches to the Cascade Range passes.

History

Planning for the corridor began amid regional growth linked to the Bonneville Power Administration projects, Grand Coulee Dam, and expansions of the Burlington Northern Railroad freight routes. Initial state highway designations predated the Interstate numbering, with predecessors including alignments of US 410 and state highways that served early Pacific Northwest agricultural development and irrigation projects tied to the Yakima Project of the Bureau of Reclamation. Federal interstate designation and funding evolved during the Federal-Aid Highway Act expansions, influenced by advocacy from the Washington State Department of Transportation and local chambers of commerce in Yakima County, Washington and Benton County, Washington. Construction phases in the late 20th century involved coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Columbia River crossings and mitigation near the Hanford Site, while environmental reviews referenced regulations influenced by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Major interchange projects later tied into regional freight strategies promoted by the Port of Benton and the Port of Pasco to improve links to inland ports and rail terminals operated by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.

Exit list

The route's interchanges provide connections to federal and state highways, regional airports, and industrial access roads. Major junctions include the western terminus near Umatilla, Oregon with access to I-84 and US 30, a cluster of interchanges serving Tri-Cities, Washington with links to US 12 and US 395, and the eastern terminus near Ellensburg, Washington where the freeway meets I-90 and state routes serving Kittitas County, Washington. Intermediate exits serve Prosser, Washington, Union Gap, Washington, the Yakima Air Terminal region, and agricultural service roads that connect to facilities managed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and cooperative extension offices affiliated with Washington State University.

Future and improvements

Planned and proposed projects address capacity, safety, and multimodal integration. Regional transportation planning organizations including the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments and the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments have identified upgrades such as interchange reconfigurations near Richland, Washington, truck-climbing lanes in steeper segments approaching Ellensburg, Washington, and pavement rehabilitation coordinated with the Federal Highway Administration. Proposals also consider enhancements to freight access to the Port of Benton and intermodal yards operated by BNSF Railway, plus safety improvements adjacent to environmentally sensitive areas linked to the Columbia River Basin. Funding strategies reference state transportation packages approved by the Washington State Legislature and federal surface transportation bills enacted by the United States Congress.

Auxiliary routes and related corridors

The corridor interacts with multiple auxiliary routes and planned corridors serving east–west and north–south movement. Related designations include connectors to I-84 along the Columbia River corridor, spur and business routings that serve downtown Yakima, Washington and Kennewick, Washington, and parallel state routes such as Washington State Route 24, Washington State Route 22, and Washington State Route 823. Freight and passenger rail corridors operated by BNSF Railway and Amtrak run nearby, while regional airports like Tri-Cities Airport and Yakima Air Terminal provide multimodal links. Long-range corridor planning is coordinated with entities such as the Washington State Transportation Commission and metropolitan planning organizations in the Tri-Cities metropolitan area and Yakima metropolitan area.

Category:Roads in Washington (state)