Construction begins this month to replace an aging traffic circle with traffic lights at a key intersection connecting Richland to West Richland.

The $3.5 million Bombing Range Road project is scheduled to begin April 14 and be completed in October.

Total Site Services LLC is the general contractor.

Construction of the multi-lane intersection will be completed in stages, with the first phase rebuilding the south half of the intersection (April through July), and the second phase reconstructing the north half (July through September).

Drivers can expect detours throughout the project.

Bombing Range Road will be closed to through-traffic between Keene and Kennedy roads for the duration of the project.

The intersection will be controlled with a three-way stop for the majority of the construction project.

The city of West Richland wants to remove the circle where Bombing Range and Keene roads intersect to reduce backups and delays.

Designed in 2001, the traffic circle was designed to last 20 years and is approaching the end of its life cycle.

Traffic backups are common during morning and evening commutes.

They have been becoming lengthier and longer as more development pops up along Keene Road and beyond, west of the traffic circle: the city’s municipal services building and new police station, Richland School District’s Libby Middle School and Teaching, Learning and Administration Center, SunMarket and Firehouse Subs.

More traffic will be coming, too, with the opening of a future high school, Benton REA’s new administration building and more houses in Badger Mountain South and Heights at Red Mountain Ranch developments.

In fall 2020, the city hired JUB Engineering in Kennewick to do a planning analysis of the intersection, looking out 20 years.

The city decided on traffic lights because such an intersection would be safer for pedestrians, didn’t negatively impact the adjacent property owners and was the preference of Benton Fire District 4.

For updates, go to: westrichland.org/civicalerts.aspx.