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State Route 17 (Washington)
Encyclopedia
State Route 17 is a highway
in the state
of Washington, U.S.A. It extends about 137 miles (220.5 km) from U.S. Route 395 in the tiny town of Mesa
, in the south central part of the state, to U.S. Route 97 at the confluence of the Okanogan
and Columbia River
s near Brewster
.
. It then heads in a northwesterly direction, first intersecting SR 260
near Connell, and then intersecting SR 170
and SR 262
near Warden and Potholes Dam, respectively. The highway then crosses over State Route 26 as it passes by Othello
, and finally has an interchange with Interstate 90 near the city of Moses Lake
. North of Moses Lake, has a junction with both SR 171
and SR 282
, which heads northwest towards Ephrata.
North of Interstate 90, SR 17 travels through the Grand Coulee
for about 20 miles (32.2 km), along the shores of Soap Lake
, Lenore Lake, Blue Lake, and Park Lake, all remnants of a major river that flowed through this part of the state about 2 million years ago. In Soap Lake, SR 17 has a four-way junction with high-speed Washington State Route 28. SR 17 meets U.S. Route 2 at the southern shore of Banks Lake
, then leaves the coulee and extends due north through farmland for about 20 more miles before merging left onto SR 174
and following a dry river bed into Bridgeport
, where it crosses the Columbia on the Bridgeport Bridge
just west of Chief Joseph Dam
. SR 173
meets SR 17 right outside of Bridgeport. The highway follows the east bank of the Columbia for a few more miles inside the Colville Indian Reservation
before terminating at US 97 east of Brewster.
Mileposts on SR 17 begin with milepost 8, posted about half a mile north of the highway's origin at US 395. Prior to 1979, SR 17 began at Eltopia
, about 7½ miles south of Mesa. That year, US 395 was rerouted from what is now Blanton Road in Franklin County to its current routing, which eliminated the portion of SR 17 that formerly ran between Eltopia and Mesa. SR 17 now originates in Mesa, but new mileposts have not been posted on the route reflecting the highway's new starting point.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
in the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington, U.S.A. It extends about 137 miles (220.5 km) from U.S. Route 395 in the tiny town of Mesa
Mesa, Washington
Mesa is a city in Franklin County, Washington, United States. The population was 489 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally called Bluff Wells, then Judson, now Mesa was a stop on the Ainsworth to Spokane branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad. It was the stop between Eltopia and Palouse Junction...
, in the south central part of the state, to U.S. Route 97 at the confluence of the Okanogan
Okanogan River
The Okanogan River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington...
and Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
s near Brewster
Brewster, Washington
Brewster is a city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,370 at the 2010 census.-History:In 1811, John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company established Fort Okanogan just north of the present site of Brewster, which was the first American post in Washington...
.
Route description
State Route 17 begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 395 just southeast of MesaMesa, Washington
Mesa is a city in Franklin County, Washington, United States. The population was 489 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally called Bluff Wells, then Judson, now Mesa was a stop on the Ainsworth to Spokane branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad. It was the stop between Eltopia and Palouse Junction...
. It then heads in a northwesterly direction, first intersecting SR 260
Washington State Route 260
State Route 260 is a state route in the U.S. state of Washington.-Route description:Route 260 begins at State Route 17 northeast of Connell. It travels east and intersects with U.S. Route 395. It also intersects with State Route 21 and State Route 263 in Kahlotus. The terminus is then at State...
near Connell, and then intersecting SR 170
Washington State Route 170
State Route 170 is a short, long state highway located within Grant County in the U.S. state of Washington. The highway begins at west of Warden and travels east to end at Main Street in Warden...
and SR 262
Washington State Route 262
State Route 262 is a state route in the U.S. state of Washington.-Route description:Route 262 begins at State Route 26 northwest of Othello. It travels north for a few miles before turning east and passing by Potholes State Park. After this, it passes just south of Potholes Reservoir, crossing the...
near Warden and Potholes Dam, respectively. The highway then crosses over State Route 26 as it passes by Othello
Othello, Washington
Othello is a city in Adams County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,847 at the 2000 census and grew 25.9% over the next decade to 7,364 at the 2010 census. Othello refers to the city as being in the "Heart" of the Columbia Basin Project...
, and finally has an interchange with Interstate 90 near the city of Moses Lake
Moses Lake, Washington
Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:...
. North of Moses Lake, has a junction with both SR 171
Washington State Route 171
State Route 171 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, running from SR 17 north of Moses Lake to Interstate 90 south of Moses Lake. The state law designating SR 171 dictates that it will be extended to State Route 28 west of Odessa-History:...
and SR 282
Washington State Route 282
State Route 282 is a state route in the U.S. state of Washington.-Route description:Route 282 begins at State Route 28 southwest of Ephrata. It travels southeast and serves as a connector route between SR 28 and SR 17, bypassing Ephrata. The terminus is then at State Route 17....
, which heads northwest towards Ephrata.
North of Interstate 90, SR 17 travels through the Grand Coulee
Grand Coulee
The Grand Coulee is an ancient river bed in the U.S. state of Washington. This National Natural Landmark stretches for about sixty miles southwest from Grand Coulee Dam to Soap Lake, being bisected by Dry Falls into the Upper and Lower Grand Coulee....
for about 20 miles (32.2 km), along the shores of Soap Lake
Soap Lake
Soap Lake is a meromictic lake in the town of Soap Lake, Washington formed by the Missoula Floods at the foot of the Grand Coulee. The lake gets its name from the naturally occurring foam that gives its water a soapy appearance and because the lake's mineral-rich waters have a slick, soapy feel...
, Lenore Lake, Blue Lake, and Park Lake, all remnants of a major river that flowed through this part of the state about 2 million years ago. In Soap Lake, SR 17 has a four-way junction with high-speed Washington State Route 28. SR 17 meets U.S. Route 2 at the southern shore of Banks Lake
Banks Lake
Banks Lake is a long reservoir in central Washington in the United States.Part of the Columbia Basin Project, Banks Lake occupies the northern portion of the Grand Coulee, a formerly dry coulee near the Columbia River, formed by the Missoula Floods during the Pleistocene epoch. Grand Coulee Dam,...
, then leaves the coulee and extends due north through farmland for about 20 more miles before merging left onto SR 174
Washington State Route 174
State Route 174 is a long state highway that traverses Douglas, Grant and Lincoln counties in Washington. SR 174 begins at a junction with in Leahy and travels eastward to Grand Coulee, near the Grand Coulee Dam, to intersect...
and following a dry river bed into Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Washington
Bridgeport is a city in Douglas County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bridgeport's population was 2,059 at the 2000 census.Bridgeport is located near the Chief Joseph Dam.-History:...
, where it crosses the Columbia on the Bridgeport Bridge
Columbia River Bridge (Bridgeport, Washington)
The Columbia River Bridge, also known as the Bridgeport Bridge, at Bridgeport, Washington was built to span the Columbia River in 1950. Composed of three spans, the bridge is a steel continuous riveted deck truss carrying Washington State Route 17 on a wide roadway and two sidewalks. The center...
just west of Chief Joseph Dam
Chief Joseph Dam
The Chief Joseph Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Columbia River, upriver from Bridgeport, Washington, USA. The dam was authorized as Foster Creek Dam and Powerhouse for power generation and irrigation by the River and Harbor Act of 1946...
. SR 173
Washington State Route 173
State Route 173 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, running from SR 17 in Bridgeport to US 97 in Brewster.-Route description:...
meets SR 17 right outside of Bridgeport. The highway follows the east bank of the Columbia for a few more miles inside the Colville Indian Reservation
Colville Indian Reservation
The Colville Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Washington, inhabited and managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which is recognized by the United States of America as an American Indian Tribe...
before terminating at US 97 east of Brewster.
Mileposts on SR 17 begin with milepost 8, posted about half a mile north of the highway's origin at US 395. Prior to 1979, SR 17 began at Eltopia
Eltopia, Washington
Eltopia is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Washington, United States, located about 15 miles north of Pasco, along U.S. Route 395....
, about 7½ miles south of Mesa. That year, US 395 was rerouted from what is now Blanton Road in Franklin County to its current routing, which eliminated the portion of SR 17 that formerly ran between Eltopia and Mesa. SR 17 now originates in Mesa, but new mileposts have not been posted on the route reflecting the highway's new starting point.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | Mesa | 0.00 | Interchange | |
| 7.20 | ||||
| Adams | 20.86 | Interchange | ||
| Grant | 32.28 | |||
| 33.29 | ||||
| Moses Lake | 43.25 | South end of I-90 Bus. overlap; interchange | ||
| 44.26 | North end of I-90 Bus. overlap | |||
| 46.40 | ||||
| 47.22 | Stratford Road – Moses Lake | Interchange | ||
| 60.13 | ||||
| Soap Lake | 67.76 | |||
| 89.06 | South end of US 2 overlap | |||
| Douglas | 90.68 | North end of US 2 overlap | ||
| 104.60 | ||||
| 112.24 | ||||
| Bridgeport | 128.22 | |||
| Okanogan | 136.67 |