Balancing progress and preservation in the Confluence Parkway project

WENATCHEE — The Confluence Parkway Project, a long-planned infrastructure initiative aimed at reducing congestion and improving north–south mobility through Wenatchee, is beginning to take on a more tangible form — and with it, public debate about its impact on longtime local businesses like EZ’s Burger Deluxe has come to the forefront.

Funded in part by a $92 million federal INFRA grant awarded in 2021, the project includes construction of a new bridge over the Wenatchee River, widened roadways, and realignment of key intersections along North Wenatchee Avenue. Supporters say the improvements will ease traffic backups, enhance safety for pedestrians and drivers, and prepare the corridor for future growth.

A decade-long traffic study on the city block where EZ’s Burger Deluxe sits recorded 296 collisions — nearly 30 accidents per year — underscoring the need for safety improvements. The parcel itself was previously developed as a Flying J service station before Pete Ezetta purchased it and opened EZ’s in 1992.

While the city has not even proposed a design that would require taking the entire EZ’s property, planners have confirmed that partial acquisition of land along the edge of the parcel is under consideration. These changes — which could affect access, signage, and parking — are what Ezetta says would make it impossible for his business to continue.

City officials say early outreach has included offers to discuss relocation assistance, fair compensation, and design alternatives. However, to date, no formal negotiation has occurred, and city staff report that Ezetta has not engaged in the process.

At a recent Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council meeting, Wenatchee Mayor Mike Poirier said, “We’ve tried to call a certain business, I think 8 or 11 times, and they don’t return our calls,” underscoring the city’s ongoing efforts to communicate.

The city is working with multiple partners — including the Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and federal regulators — to coordinate environmental permitting and right-of-way planning. The next steps include environmental review and final design, both expected to continue through 2025.

Meanwhile, public comment sessions, such as last week’s City Council meeting, reveal the emotional stakes for residents. EZ’s has become more than just a restaurant to many — it is a landmark, a memory, and for some, a symbol of Wenatchee’s small-town soul.

As one speaker said during the meeting, “It’s the first thing you see when you come into town. If that goes away, something else goes with it.”

However, much of the public debate so far has centered on emotional appeals rather than specific details of the project’s current design status. Many residents believe that negotiations have already taken place and that the city simply hasn’t been reasonable; others actually think there may be a concerted effort to shut down EZ’s. What is publicly known thus far is that Ezetta believes that any change at all will render his business inoperable, a contention that could only be evaluated if the changes took place.

For his part, Ezetta has indicated that should anything change at all regarding his property, he will choose to close the business and retire. City officials hope that discussions can take place so they can help him avoid having to do anything so drastic.

Whether the final alignment will allow EZ’s to remain in place — or whether a compromise can be reached — remains an open question. But the debate highlights a larger truth: as cities grow, the future often arrives first at the doorstep of the past.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media