CHENEY, Wash. — After more than two decades of navigating potholes and dips that felt like a roller coaster, drivers on State Route 904 between Cheney and Tyler are already starting to feel a smoother commute. Construction crews have begun repaving the nine-mile stretch, something they haven’t done since 2002.
The project addresses years of wear and tear that have taken a toll on vehicles and drivers who use the road.
“Well, I’ve never been excited about road construction. Normally, it’s like a hindrance, but I heard rumors that this was going to happen, and then it finally started, and I was so excited. I mean, I live in Tyler…. work in Cheney…and I drive this every day,” said Kari Roberson, a regular driver on the route.
“It felt like a washboard,” said Dawn Anderberg, another frequent commuter on the route.
Beyond the uncomfortable drive, people also shared that the road damaged their cars’ suspensions.
“My personal truck has had to have a lot of work on it over the years,” Roberson said.
Anderberg also said agreed. “You could really see what it was doing to your cars, hear it and feel it,” she said.
The eastbound lane heading from Tyler to Cheney is already completely repaved. The westbound lane from Cheney to Tyler is still bumpy. Crews will be starting the process next week of repaving the westbound lane, but they’ll start from the east side of the road and work their way in 3-mile increments.
“What crews are doing out here is they’re basically grinding off the existing pavement, and then they’re repaving with what we call HMA, it’s hot mix asphalt, and that lasts about 10 to 15 years,” said Nicole Lagoo, a public information officer with the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The project is funded entirely through state dollars as part of the Move Ahead Washington package, a transportation funding initiative introduced in 2022.
Drivers should plan an extra 25 minutes to get through this road while crew work through this project.
Construction crews will work from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. There will be no crews on weekends. The road is expected to be fully completed by late August or early September.
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