Work to reconfigure the east/west travel lanes at the intersection of Plaza Way and West Tietan Street is scheduled to take place next month. Street closures will be in place on Tietan Street from 12 a.m.–6 a.m. on Sunday, August 18, and Monday, August 19.

In 2021, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reconfigured the Plaza/Tietan intersection based on data from WSDOT traffic studies performed as part of the Plaza Way/SR-125 Roundabout project. The change was primarily made to improve intersection efficiency and accommodate the anticipated traffic flow from the new roundabout. Since the change, motorists have voiced concerns over confusion and near-miss collisions in the center lane of travel — eastbound (leaving the Safeway parking lot) and westbound (from Tietan into the parking lot).

The intersection will be changed to again include dedicated left-turn lanes in both the eastbound and westbound directions, as well as lanes used for both right turns and through traffic. Vehicles in the left-turn lanes will still be required to yield to oncoming traffic, as is currently the case. Signage at and around the intersection will be changed to match the new lane configurations. Based on the results of a traffic study conducted recently at this intersection, engineers anticipate the changes will result in increased delay for users of the intersection, but the lane configuration will be more intuitive, reducing uncertainty about the intentions of other motorists. The north/south lanes at the intersection will not be changed.

Residents with questions about the changes may call the City of Walla Walla Engineering Department at 509-527-4537.

Current lane configuration of the Plaza/Tietan intersection:

 Lane configuration at the Plaza/Tietan intersection after east/west lane revisions: