For many years, the City of Kennewick and the City of Kennewick Police have made concerted efforts to take drunken drivers off the road before a traffic crash occurs and improve roadway safety. Despite these efforts, between two to five fatalities each year occurred in the City of Kennewick each of the last few years.

This roadside signage program offers families of victims an additional opportunity to honor and remember their loved ones. The signs also serve as stark reminders to motorists and their passengers of the responsibility shared by everyone to drive safely and sober. This program addresses both drunk driving as well as other main causes of roadway fatalities as described in the policy.

The City of Kennewick Roadside Memorial Sign Program was created as a compromise between the conflicting interests of meeting the emotional needs of those who have lost family members in crashes, and the Public Works Department’s responsibility to maintain a safe roadway system.

The purpose of the Memorial Sign Program is to:

• Provide families of persons fatally injured in crashes with a way to sponsor a memorial sign to be erected near the scene of the crash;
• Ensure that memorial signs are located and installed in a safe and consistent manner; and
• Increase the public’s awareness of the need to drive safely.

The program specifics are detailed in the complete policy, along with sign schematics and the sign permit application.

Roadside Memorial Sign Program and Application