Washington State Route 224

On Sunday, April 21, 2013, we drove the length of Washington State Highway 224 across Benton County.

RCW 47.17.435
State route No. 224:

A state highway to be known as state route number 224 is established as follows:

Beginning at a junction with state route number 82 at Kiona, thence northeasterly to a junction with state route number 240 at Richland.

Here we begin in dusty Kiona, surrounded by bare hills and orchards. We're at the interchange with I-82, heading north.


Just past the freeway interchange, we reach the junction with SR 225, which proceeds straight ahead into Benton City. You need to turn right to stay on Highway 224. I find it odd that neither SR 224 nor SR 225 meet their nominal parent route, SR 22. The route numberers in the 1960s were usually pedantic about that sort of thing.


After a quick left turn away from the freeway, we're up the hill to the vineyards, rolling eastward. Welcome to Red Mountain, home of powerful red wines, or so they say. Soon we descend the hill into West Richland on what feels like a tree-lined boulevard, but not really. We cross the Yakima River and enter Richland. Riders dismount and lead your horses. Before the city really begins, we reach the junction with SR 240 and thus our highway ends.

Since it parallels the freeway, I'm not sure why Highway 224 is part of the state highway system, but it's a nice drive and Richland was a nice place to visit, so I shouldn't complain too much, right?