VANCOUVER – Shawn Bills, State Director for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, joined city leaders, local businesses, and project partners gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the East Mill Plain Boulevard and MacArthur Boulevard intersection project, the first public investment in the Heights District redevelopment. The project was funded through a $4 million federal appropriation supported by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, along with local funds.
Improvements will transform the intersection of East Mill Plain Boulevard and MacArthur Boulevard into a corridor with safe, multimodal travel options, featuring a greenbelt with enhanced pedestrian pathways and dedicated bike lanes.
The project serves as one of the primary gateways to the future Heights District and represents the beginning of redevelopment efforts planned for the area.
“The Heights District is home to some of the most racially and socioeconomically diverse communities in Clark County,” said Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle. “Long-term redevelopment is intentionally designed to create a new, inclusive, mixed‑income neighborhood that will serve residents for generations.”
“The city is investing in infrastructure in the Heights District to lay the foundation for a thoughtfully planned community and to support private development,” said Amy Zoltie, Real Estate Project Manager at the city.
Upcoming projects include the Grand Loop, another federally funded project scheduled to begin construction in spring 2027, improvements to the intersection at East Mill Plain Boulevard and Devine Road, development of a civic plaza, and four housing projects expected to add approximately 300 affordable homes.
Over the next 20 years, the city-led redevelopment is expected to bring affordable and market-rate housing, retail, restaurants, parks, community gathering spaces, and a new public plaza to the area.
Construction on East Mill Plain Boulevard and MacArthur Boulevard starts June 1. Work is expected to finish in late spring 2027, weather and construction conditions permitting.
Visit Public Works Projects to learn more about upcoming construction and visit The Heights District to learn more about the city’s long-range investment in the area.
Information provided by the city of Vancouver.
