Washington State Route 270

SR 270 begins at an un-signalized Y intersection with US 195 in the hills west of Pullman. The two-lane highway travels east through a cut in the hills on Davis Way and passes several residential subdivisions on the outskirts of the city.{{cite web |date=March 19, 2018 |title=Corridor Sketch Summary – SR 270: US 195 Jct to SR 27 Jct (Pullman) |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2017/12/22/CSS433-SR270-US195Jct-SR27JctPullman.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=November 25, 2018}} After descending from a hill and following the South Fork Palouse River and a freight railroad into downtown Pullman, SR 270 turns southeast and begins a short concurrency with its parent route, SR 27, on Grand Avenue. The two highways travel south on Grand Avenue for a two blocks before SR 270 turns east onto a pair of one-way streets: Southeast Paradise Street for eastbound traffic and East Main Street for westbound traffic.{{google maps |title=State Route 270 |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/46.7363503,-117.2257841/46.7323992,-117.0396614/@46.730364,-117.1678768,13z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e0 |accessdate=November 22, 2018}}{{cite web |date=April 17, 2013 |title=SR 27: Junction SR 270/SR 270 Couplet Pullman |url=http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/tools/InterchangeViewer/pdf/SR027/027X000.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=November 23, 2018}}

File:Pullman aerial, May 2023.png

The two streets carrying SR 270 reunite after three blocks and the highway continues east on the four-lane Main Street towards the Washington State University campus. The highway turns southeast and bypasses the campus, crossing over the river and railroad and passing several student dormitories. After intersecting Bishop Boulevard, SR 270 turns due east onto the Pullman–Moscow Highway, which follows Paradise Creek along the south side of the university campus.{{cite map |date=July 2010 |title=Washington State University Parking Key |url=http://sfs.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/wsu-map.pdf |publisher=Washington State University Office of University Publishing |access-date=November 24, 2018}} The highway is joined by the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, a paved multi-use trail that runs along the south side of the creek.{{cite web |date=March 19, 2018 |title=Corridor Sketch Summary – SR 270: SR 27 Jct (Pullman) to Idaho State Line |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2017/12/22/CSS434-SR270-SR27JctPullman-IdahoStateLine.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=November 25, 2018}} A decommissioned railroad grade, the Chipman Trail was dedicated in April 1998.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KIokAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ltAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5920%2C373589|work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News|title=All-weather trail: rain doesn't dampen the fun as Chipman trail officially opens|date=April 6, 1998|page=1A}}

After passing the university arboretum and a road leading to Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport, SR 270 turns northeast and leaves Pullman city limits. The highway enters a predominantly agricultural area with several quarries and farms that make up much of the Palouse region. SR 270 then dips southeasterly after intersecting the airport access road again and rejoins the freight railroad before it reaches the Idaho state line at the western city limits of Moscow. The road becomes Idaho State Highway 8, which continues through a commercial district and the University of Idaho campus to a junction with US 95 in downtown Moscow.{{cite map |year=2016 |title=Idaho Official State Highway Map |scale=1:1,248,000 |url=https://visitidaho.org/content/uploads/2015/09/Idaho_Highway_Map_onscreen.pdf |publisher=Idaho Transportation Department |oclc=926912754 |access-date=November 24, 2018}}{{cite map |title=City of Moscow, Latah County, Idaho |scale=1 ft. = 600 ft. |url=https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/DocumentCenter/View/1013/Street-PDF |publisher=City of Moscow |access-date=November 24, 2018}}

SR 270 is maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which conducts an annual survey on state highways to measure traffic volume in terms of annual average daily traffic. Average traffic volumes on the highway in 2016 ranged from a minimum of 4,100 vehicles near its western terminus at US 195 to a maximum of 21,000 vehicles in downtown Pullman.{{cite report |year=2017 |title=2016 Annual Traffic Report |pages=169–170 |url=http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/travel/pdf/Annual_Traffic_Report_2016.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=November 24, 2018 |archive-date=August 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812180326/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/travel/pdf/Annual_Traffic_Report_2016.pdf |url-status=dead }} Most of the highway between Pullman and Moscow is five lanes wide, with two lanes of traffic in each direction and a center turn lane. The entire route of SR 270 is designated as part of the National Highway System, a national network of roads identified as important to the national economy, defense, and mobility,{{cite web |year=2017 |title=State Highway National Highway System Routes in Washington |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/travel/hpms/pdf/washington-2017-state-highway-nhs-list.pdf |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date=November 24, 2018}} and is listed as a Highway of Statewide Significance by the state legislature.{{cite web |date=July 26, 2009 |title=Transportation Commission List of Highways of Statewide Significance |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2006/03/16/HSSlist2009mod2.pdf |publisher=Washington State Transportation Commission |access-date=November 24, 2018 |archive-date=July 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724190950/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/50EC9EB9-DB3D-4823-B5D2-5348409FB8CE/0/HSSlist2009mod2.pdf |url-status=dead }}

The first railroad in the Pullman area, built by the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company in 1885, traveled west towards Colfax and east along Paradise Creek to Moscow, Idaho.{{cite journal |last=Lewis |first=Sol H. |date=July 1912 |title=A History of Railroads in Washington |page=195 |journal=Washington Historical Quarterly |volume=3 |issue=3 |publisher=University of Washington |issn=0030-8803 |oclc=8872251 |jstor=40473537 |url=https://journals.lib.washington.edu/index.php/WHQ/article/view/4897 |access-date=November 25, 2018}} A parallel railroad was also built to the south by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1887, along with an unpaved highway running between the two towns near Paradise Creek.{{cite map |date=December 1910 |title=Pullman Quadrangle, Washington–Idaho |type=Topographic map |scale=1:125,000 |publisher=United States Geological Survey |url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/img4/ht_icons/Browse/WA/WA_Pullman_243305_1910_125000.jpg |access-date=November 25, 2018}}{{cite news |date=April 11, 1988 |title=Pullman benefited from railroad competition |page=36 |work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YZQrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5tAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4345%2C1398568 |via=Google News Archive |access-date=November 25, 2018}} The original road between Pullman and Moscow was impassible during inclement weather for automobiles, leading to calls for a permanent highway.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8dJXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7fQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7394%2C2831835 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Spend $125,000 on Pullman-Moscow highway |date=December 13, 1933 |page=6}}

The original road, today's "Old Moscow-Pullman Road", was completed as a gravel road in 1929 after three months of construction.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_ZlfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2522%2C3623709 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|title=Moscow, Pullman join in celebrating highway|date=October 16, 1929|page=5}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dxBWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PuIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5959%2C3666864 |work=Spokesman-Review |title=Pullman has road jubilee |date=October 16, 1929 |page=10}} In 1933, $125,000 was appropriated to construct a new route for the highway, which was still in the planning stages in 1950.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9dtXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1fUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6004%2C5495588 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Pullman-Moscow highway project set for 1951 |date=March 14, 1950 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FbheAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1598%2C1169805 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |title=Moscow route to Pullman is 'first priority' |date=March 15, 1950 |page=2}} Prior to the state highway renumbering in 1964, SR 270 was a spur of Primary State Highway 3.{{cite WSDOT map |year=1960 |accessdate=September 8, 2023}}{{cite web |author=C. G. Prahl |date=December 1, 1965 |title=Identification of State Highways |page=10 |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2005/04/26/Identification-of-state-highways.pdf |publisher=Washington State Highway Commission |access-date=September 4, 2021 |archive-date=October 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030155114/https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2005/04/26/Identification-of-state-highways.pdf |url-status=dead }}

East of the city limits, the highway was targeted for widening for decades.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7FlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5530%2C6255839 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Scott|first=Margaret|title=Highway project on hold|date=January 12, 1984|page=6}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Rv0tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7dAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6311%2C160113 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |last=Olsen |first=Ken |title=Pullman Highway will be paved next summer |date=October 2, 1990 |page=6A}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EsUjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9tAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6016%2C2563352 |work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |last=McClure |first=Steve |title=Highway expansion still just an idea |date=December 26, 1997|page=1A}} A plan was announced by WSDOT in 2001, prompted by a fatal crash that killed three WSU students, with a {{convert|60|ft|m|adj=mid}} median between directions of traffic.{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Adam |date=June 27, 2001 |title=Dangerous highway corridor could get facelift: State reveals plans to widen SR 270 |url=https://dnews.com/local/dangerous-highway-corridor-could-get-facelift-state-reveals-plans-to-widen-sr-270/article_185472bd-c575-5436-b028-07b6f3524cdd.html |work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |accessdate=December 3, 2022}} It was expanded to four lanes in October 2007,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GdsyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OPAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6193%2C275423 |newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News|last=Rokyta|first=Devin| title=Ribbon cut; road not quite ready|date=October 30, 2007|page=1A}} with ground broken in June 2006.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p1RjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=djAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2568,4295700 |newspaper=Lewiston Tribune|title=Highway project is blasting forward |last=Mills|first=Joel|date=June 14, 2006|page=1D }} The original design of a {{convert|60|ft|0|adj=on}} center median, similar to a rural interstate highway, was revised due to right-of-way costs.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cscjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RNEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4638,2759991|newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News|last=Marose|first=Ron| title=Construction costs a factor for highway|date=July 21, 2004|page=1A}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d8cjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RNEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3186,3783906|newspaper=Moscow-Pullman Daily News|last=Marose|first=Ron| title=State scraps median plan for highway|date=July 28, 2004|page=1A}}

The project added lanes from just east of SE Bishop Blvd to the Idaho state line, improving SR 270 to a four-lane arterial from its junction with SR 27 (Grand Avenue) to the Pullman city limits and a four-lane divided highway to the state line. A paved median lane was added, separating opposing traffic; in places, it is a two-way left turn lane to provide safe access to adjacent property.{{cite web |url= http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR270/PullmanIdahoStLine/ |title= SR 270 Improvements—Pullman to Moscow |publisher= Washington State Department of Transportation |access-date= July 27, 2008}}{{cite map |url= http://maps.live.com/#JnE9eXAuUHVsbG1hbiUyYytXQSU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj02MC41MDA1MjU0MTA1MTEzJTdlLTg4LjQxNzk2ODc1JTdlMzMuNTA0NzU5MDY5MjI2MSU3ZS0xNTYuNDQ1MzEyNQ== |publisher= Live Search Maps |title= Aerial Photography of Pullman, WA |access-date= July 27, 2008}} Safety was listed as a main concern for the improvements.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UJxfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sDEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5340,1619186|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|last=Buchanan|first=Wyatt|title=Moscow-Pullman road upgrade process begins|date=January 22, 2002|page=5A}} A highly publicized triple-fatality collision occurred in 2001;{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s7VeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2478%2C1429328|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|last=Frye|first=Heather|title=Driver in deadly crash faces charges|date=June 6, 2001|page=1A}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K4A1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=g_MDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6764,5422234 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review|title=Detective calls crash 'horrific'|last=Roesler|first=Richard|date=October 27, 2007 |page=B1}}{{cite news|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2014691816_apwarussellsrun.html|newspaper=The Seattle Times|agency=Associated Press|title=Spokane appeals court upholds Russell conviction |date=April 5, 2011|access-date=February 2, 2013}} it likely hastened the long-standing project's revival and completion.

Sections of the highway in downtown Pullman were reconfigured in 2020 to add more parking spaces, a protected bicycle lane, and sidewalk space.{{cite news |last=Deshais |first=Nicholas |date=July 14, 2020 |title=Take Your Horse (And Bike) To The Old Moscow-Pullman Town Road To See The Changes |url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/washington-moscow-pullman-road-parking-bike-plan-safe-healthy-active-streets-program/ |publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting |agency=Northwest News Network |accessdate=June 10, 2024}} A five-block section of Main Street, which carries eastbound traffic, was closed in April 2024 for a six-month project to replace subsurface utility lines and permanently reconfigure the street to be more pedestrian-friendly.{{cite news |last=Pearce |first=Emily |date=April 2, 2024 |title=Pullman begins downtown reconstruction |url=https://dnews.com/local/pullman-begins-downtown-reconstruction/article_bc809c7a-2e8a-5641-88b2-92dac25e4a55.html |work=Moscow-Pullman Daily News |url-access=limited |accessdate=June 10, 2024}}

{{WAinttop|county=Whitman|length_ref=}}

{{WAint

|location=none

|mile=0.00

|road={{jct|state=WA|US|195|city1=Colfax|city2=Spokane|location3=Lewiston}}

|notes=}}

{{WAint

|location=Pullman

|lspan=2

|mile=2.27

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=WA|SR|27|dir1=north|name1=Grand Avenue|location1=WSU|city2=Palouse}}

|notes=West end of SR 27 overlap}}

{{WAint

|mile=2.40

|type=concur

|road={{jct|state=WA|SR|27|dir1=south|name1=Grand Avenue|to2=to|US|195|location1=Lewiston}}

|notes=East end of SR 27 overlap}}

{{WAint

|location=none

|mile=9.89

|road={{jct|state=ID|SH|8|dir1=east|to2=to|US|95|city1=Moscow}}

|notes=Idaho state line}}

{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

{{reflist}}

{{Attached KML}}

• [https://www.angelfire.com/wa2/hwysofwastate/sr270.html Highways of Washington State]

{{State highways in Washington related to SR 27}}

270

Category:Transportation in Whitman County, Washington

Category:Washington State University