Wenatchee seeks regional push to close Confluence Parkway’s $142 million funding gap

WENATCHEE – Wenatchee officials are asking regional leaders to make completing the Confluence Parkway their top transportation funding priority, warning that a delay could scatter the project’s construction team and increase the cost of finishing its long-planned bridge across the Wenatchee River.

Mayor Mike Poirier brought the request to the Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority on Nov. 10, ahead of a Transportation Council discussion about whether to concentrate the region’s legislative efforts on closing the project’s $142 million funding gap.

The currently funded work is expected to be completed around the end of 2027. Officials want to secure money for the next phase before the existing construction contract ends, allowing work to continue without dismantling the organization assembled to deliver it.

“When that happens, it’s going to cost $3 or $4 million in today’s money just to bring them back,” Poirier said of losing the project team.

He urged Chelan County, Douglas County and the Port to work together to make the Confluence Parkway the highest priority, describing the roadway as a regional investment whose benefits extend beyond Wenatchee.

The project is intended to relieve congestion, improve freight movement and provide another route for emergency response and evacuation. Its second phase would extend the roadway across the Wenatchee River, completing the connection officials say is necessary to realize the project’s full benefits.

A video produced by North 40 Productions and shown during the meeting outlined how rising construction costs forced the city to divide the project into phases. The presentation identified $92 million in federal funding and $85 million in state transportation funding previously secured for the work.

Those commitments allowed the city to move forward, but they no longer cover completion of the entire project.

Jeff Wilkins of the Chelan-Douglas Transportation Council said the Confluence Parkway and the Wenatchi Landing interchange have shared the region’s transportation priorities for at least four consecutive years. Deciding whether to emphasize one over the other would require a further discussion by the council, scheduled for Nov. 12.

“Of course, that decision hasn’t been made yet,” Wilkins said.

He said the interchange had been better positioned to pursue particular grants during the past year, reflecting differences in the funding opportunities available to each project. Its remaining funding gap was approximately $7 million, he said.

“But for this particular legislative session, I think our focus is likely to be on Confluence Parkway,” Wilkins said.

The discussion repeatedly returned to the cost of stopping and restarting work. Unlike the Washington State Department of Transportation, which can shift engineers among projects, Wenatchee has assembled a delivery team specifically for the Confluence Parkway.

Officials described a combination of city staff and outside consultants whose work was made possible by the federal grant. Rebuilding that capacity after the current work ends would become another expense before construction could resume.

Environmental approvals and agreements also figured into the argument for maintaining momentum.

“The environmental barriers have already been removed for this project,” Public Works Director Tom Wachholder said. “There’s also been a pretty complex agreement with PUD that’s already in play.”

The discussion distinguished those existing clearances from additional permits still needed for construction, including work in the water. City representatives said further design and property acquisition would also be necessary.

Port commissioners voiced support for the funding effort and discussed how the coming legislative session could provide an opportunity to preserve the investment already made.

Commissioner Richard DeRock warned that losing existing pricing and returning to the bidding process could make the remaining work more expensive.

“So if we go back out, you have to go back to bid, and it’s a much higher price,” DeRock said. “So the hole gets larger.”

The discussion also emphasized the difficulty of securing a new federal commitment quickly enough to maintain continuity, strengthening the case for pursuing state transportation funding.

Port CEO Jim Kuntz indicated the city could count on help making its case in Olympia.

“I think you’ve got the board’s support. I’ll be in Olympia,” Kuntz said. “Let us know when you need it. We’ll show up.”

Poirier repeatedly emphasized regional collaboration, asking neighboring governments to approach the coming legislative session with a shared commitment to a project serving residents and businesses on both sides of the Columbia River.

“In collaboration, obviously, we are working on the Confluence Parkway, but it’s a regional project,” he said.

With the existing project team in place and construction underway, Poirier said that cooperation needs to translate into a united funding push.

“So that’s why it’s crucial that we work as Douglas County, Chelan County, and the port recognize this needs to be, Confluence Parkway needs to be the highest priority,” he said.

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