Multi-lane Roundabout Project To Get Artwork

With road work underway on the roundabout at Highway 2 and 97 and Easy Street, the City of Wenatchee plans to add some artwork to the project.

The city parks department has been assigned the task of creating a landscaping art feature for the roundabout's centerpiece.

Parks Director Dave Erickson went before the city council tonight (04/13) for approval of agreements with the Washington Department of Transportation (WASHDOT) and the Chelan Public Utilities District (PUD).

The agreement with DOT involves everything in the center of the roundabout including the artwork and an irrigation line.

"To be able to maintain that irrigation line and everything else in the circle, we have to have an agreement with WASHDOT so it's something we have to do anyway." Erickson said.

The agreement with the PUD entails $15,800 in irrigation connection fees with its water pipeline in the area of the roundabout.

"They'll waive that and then also provide us $30,000 to put a couple of their logos out there," Erickson said. "So, it's about $45,000 to the city to do that agreement."

Both agreements were approved by the city council last night.

Erickson tells Newsradio 560 KPQ that the artist is working on the sculpture, and the public should be getting a glimpse of it around the time the project wraps up in mid-June.