State Route 903 (SR 903) is a 10.06-mile-long (16.19 km) state highway located entirely in Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The highway links Lake Cle Elum to Roslyn, Cle Elum and SR 970, which provides access to Interstate 90. The highway has existed as a numbered highway since at least 1939, however a highway linking Lake Cle Elum to Cle Elum has existed since 1897. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) had previously considered turning control of the highway over to Kittitas County, however this never happened, and WSDOT continues to maintain the highway.
 State Route 903 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 A red line indicating SR 903 through Kittitas County. | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of I-90 | ||||
| Maintained by WSDOT | ||||
| Length | 10.06 mi[1] (16.19 km) | |||
| Existed | 1964–present | |||
| Tourist routes |  Swiftwater Corridor Scenic Byway | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  SR 970 near Cle Elum | |||
| North end |  Wenatchee National Forest boundary near Ronald | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Washington | |||
| Counties | Kittitas | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
editSR 903 begins at an intersection with SR 970 just north of the Interstate 90 (I-90) / SR 970 interchange, headed westerly into the town of Cle Elum. Before entering Cle Elum, the highway intersects its spur route, SR 903 Spur, which serves as a bypass for travelers on SR 970 who wish to avoid the main interchange of SR 903. The roadway parallels a railroad line before it terminates in South Cle Elum. The highway jogs to the north for a block before turning back west along Second Street, exiting the town and turning northwesterly. SR 903 continues through a roundabout before entering the town of Roslyn. The highway continues through town, turning southwesterly on Nevada Street, before turning back northwesterly at Seventh Street, exiting Roslyn. The highway continues through Ronald before terminating at the boundary of the Wenatchee National Forest, east of Cle Elum Lake. The roadway continues northerly however as Salmon La Sac Road.[2]
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) measures traffic counts, measured in terms of annual average daily traffic, with as few as 1,100 cars at the northern terminus, and as many as 7,400 cars just past the intersection at Pennsylvania Avenue in Roslyn.[3]
History
edit
The current highway was numbered Secondary State Highway 2E (SSH 2E) since at least 1939,[4] though maps show a roadway following roughly the same alignment in existence since at least 1897.[5][6] During the 1964 state highway renumbering, the designation was changed from SSH 2E to SR 903.[7] WSDOT was considering dropping SR 903 from the state highway system and turning over the highway to Kittitas County in 1992;[8] however, the idea was quickly dropped.[9] The roundabout at Bullfrog was first proposed in 2002,[10] and was estimated to cost $1.2 million, paid for by Suncadia Resort.[11] The roundabout opened to traffic sometime between May 7 and July 15, 2005.[12] Completed in August 2007, WSDOT repaved 8.1 mi (13.0 km) of highway between Cle Elum and the National Forest boundary for a cost of $2 million.[13]
Major intersections
edit
The entire highway is in Kittitas County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 0.00 | 0.00 | SR 970 | At-grade intersection; southern terminus; access to I-90 via SR 970 west | |
| | 0.18– 0.21 | 0.29– 0.34 |    SR 903 Spur east | ||
| | 10.06 | 16.19 | Wenatchee National Forest | Northern terminus; roadway continues as Salmon La Sac Road | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
Spur route
edit State Route 903 Spur | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cle Elum |
| Length | 0.33 mi[1] (530 m) |
Washington State Route 903 Spur is a 0.33-mile (530 m) long two-lane spur route of SR 903, constructed between 1973 and 1984.[14][15] The spur route serves as a short connector allowing travelers on SR 970 who wish to continue west towards Cle Elum along SR 903 to bypass the main junction between SR 903 and SR 970 just north of I-90.[16] On average, 3,000 cars-per-day travel over the spur route.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c "State Highway Log Planning Report 2009 SR 2 to SR 971" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). pp. 1744–1748. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ Microsoft; Nokia. "SR 903" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ a b "2009 Annual Traffic Report" (PDF). WSDOT. pp. 216–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ Washington State Highway Map (Map). Washington State Highway Commission. 1939. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ Mount Stuart Quadrangle (Map). 1:125,000. United States Geological Survey (USGS). 1897. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ Snoqualmie Pass Quadrangle (Map). 1:125,000. USGS. 1901. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ "Sign Route Numbers with Corresponding Legislative Highway Numbers" (PDF). Washington State Department of Highways. December 1, 1965. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ Johnston, Mike (April 17, 1992). "County Opposes Turnover". Ellensburg Daily Record. Pioneers Newspapers Inc. p. 7. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ Johnston, Mike (April 27, 1994). "Officials Approve Rezone". Ellensburg Daily Record. Pioneers Newspapers Inc. p. 16. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ Gallagher, Michael (December 12, 2002). "Changes Coming to Bullfrog Road". Ellensburg Daily Record. Pioneers Newspapers Inc. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ Johnston, Mike (October 22, 2004). "Suncadia Resort Work is in High Gear". Ellensburg Daily Record. Pioneers Newspapers Inc. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ Johnston, Mike (May 7, 2005). "Roundabout Paving Near Roslyn Begins Next Week on SR 903". Ellensburg Daily Record. Pioneers Newspapers, Inc. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ "Project - SR 903 - Cle Elum to National Forest Boundary - Paving". WSDOT. Archived from the original on June 29, 2010. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
- ^ Cle Elum Topographic Map (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. Microsoft Research Maps. July 1, 1973. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
- ^ Cle Elum Topographic Map (Map). Cartography by United States Geological Survey. Microsoft Research Maps. July 1, 1984. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
- ^ JCT SR 903/SR 903 SP CLEELM (PDF) (Map). WSDOT. September 9, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2006. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
