WENATCHEE- The City of Wenatchee is applying for a $150-million federal grant to help pay for a major transportation project that will benefit both sides of the river.

City Community Development Director, Steve King joined guest host, Steve Hair on today’s Wake Up Wenatchee Valley program to describe some of the project’s key elements including a new bypass to relieve congestion on North Wenatchee Avenue.

“There’s a lot of work to be done to finalize the design but Confluence Parkway provides us a parallel bypass to Wenatchee Avenue,” King said, the two-lane road would be constructed as a third bridge over the Wenatchee River between the existing walking bridge and railroad bridge.

King said after Wenatchee Avenue was packed during the Sleepy Hallow Fires, Confluence Parkway could help during those cases as it connects into town on Miller Street by Denny’s.

“Those of you who know what Highway 12 looks like around Lewiston Idaho, it would be very similar,” King said. “This is a two-lane bypass that would carry 20,000 cars a day.”

The project would involve moving the loop trail to accommodate the new parkway.

“It would actually make the loop trail nicer, that park area nicer, it’s also about some of our other assets,” King said. “It would include transportation and the non-motorized trail that exists.”

The project would add a pull-off area among other upgrades to the loop trail area on the Columbia River.

King says the $150 million federal grant would be combined with $100 million in local funds to pay for the construction.

The city is partnering with Chelan and Douglas counties, the two port districts, WSDOT, Link Transit, the Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council and BNSF Railroad in applying for grant.