The city reported the design milestone in August 2026. The project has $2 million in Move Ahead Washington funding and remains in the design phase, meaning construction has not begun.

Planned roadway and pedestrian changes

Plans call for widening Columbia Heights Road to two 11-foot travel lanes. The project also includes a four-foot sidewalk along the corridor, with five-foot passing sections placed every 200 feet to meet accessibility requirements.

Driveway connections would be rebuilt with new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant approaches. Those changes are intended to improve access between private driveways and the planned pedestrian route.

The Washington State Transportation Improvement Board’s project record also lists guardrail, pavement restoration and LED lighting. Together, the roadway and lighting work is intended to improve safety and ride quality along the project segment.

Drainage work is a central part of the project

The plans would replace open drainage with a closed stormwater conveyance system and add detention capacity. The city identifies drainage, along with safety and accessibility, as a reason for the project.

Replacing the existing drainage arrangement would address water-management infrastructure beneath and alongside the roadway while the project restores pavement and changes the road layout. The planned improvements are designed as one corridor project rather than a standalone sidewalk or lighting installation.

Project status and next steps

The Transportation Improvement Board record identifies design approval dated Feb. 1, 2026. The city’s 75 percent design update is a progress milestone toward final project plans, not an announcement that construction is underway.

The city project page does not list a construction start date or an expected completion date. It also does not announce traffic closures or other construction controls.

For motorists, pedestrians and property owners along Columbia Heights Road, the eventual work would change the roadway between Fishers Lane and Cascade Drive. Drivers would use a widened two-lane road, while people walking would have a planned sidewalk with regular passing areas. Property access would be addressed through ADA-compliant driveway approaches.

The next documented step is continued design work toward final plans. Until construction begins, the project remains a proposed set of roadway, drainage, accessibility and lighting improvements backed by the city’s $2 million funding commitment.

The opening matters locally for two reasons. Washington State Department of Ecology says the project is expected to create 30 to 40 jobs in the Longview area. The facility is also tied into a broader utility and pipeline setup that sends upgraded gas into Cascade Natural Gas’s system offsite, linking the plant to local energy infrastructure as well as waste handling.

What the Longview facility does

In plain terms, the plant takes in unsold food waste and processes it through anaerobic digestion. That is an industrial method that breaks down organic material without oxygen. The process creates biogas, which can then be upgraded into renewable natural gas.

That makes the Longview project more than a standard composting or disposal site. It is designed as both a waste-recovery operation and an energy project, which helps explain why state regulators have been involved.

Why regulators are involved

The Department of Ecology’s project page identifies the Longview facility as a permitted industrial food-recovery site and ties it to environmental oversight. The agency also says the project is expected to support 30 to 40 jobs in the area, though that is a projected range rather than a confirmed headcount.

For Longview residents, that puts the plant at the intersection of two local issues that often come up in city and county planning: industrial development and environmental compliance. Facilities like this depend on permits, utility coordination, and ongoing oversight before they can operate at scale.

How much material it can handle

Waste Dive reported that the Longview plant is designed to process up to 100,000 tons of organic waste a year. That is a significant amount for a single site and helps show why the opening is relevant to haulers, nearby businesses, and industrial watchers who track where food waste goes after it leaves stores, distributors, and other generators.

The reported scale also suggests the facility could play a noticeable role in regional organics handling, even if it does not solve waste disposal or energy issues on its own.

What Longview should watch next

For Longview, the main near-term questions are practical ones: how quickly the plant ramps up, whether the expected jobs materialize, and how the utility-side work connected to Cascade Natural Gas’s system proceeds.

Residents do not need to follow the technical details to see why the project matters. It brings another industrial employer into the city, adds a new use to the local economy, and connects Longview to a growing segment of the waste-diversion and renewable gas market.

For workers, haulers, and business owners, the opening is a sign that Longview is part of that larger industrial shift rather than just a place where waste is handled. The facility is now open, and the next stage will be watching how it performs in practice.

Sources

• Washington State Department of Ecology — Divert Integrated Food Recovery facility page
• Waste Dive — Divert Longview facility opening report
• Cascade Natural Gas — Longview construction notice and map

Longview has opened its 2026 application cycle for two federal housing and community programs that can help pay for affordable housing, housing rehabilitation, community facilities, and public services. Applications are due April 24.

That short window matters because the city is not making final awards yet. It is collecting proposals now, then moving into the recommendation and hearing stage before any 2026 funding decisions are made.

What the money is for

The City of Longview says the 2026 funding estimates are about $282,267 for HOME funds and $237,570 for Community Development Block Grant money, including administrative and public service set-asides. Those totals are estimates, not final guaranteed amounts.

HOME dollars are generally used for housing-related work such as affordable housing development and housing rehabilitation. CDBG funds are broader and can support community development projects, neighborhood facilities, and public services that benefit low- and moderate-income residents.

For residents, that can mean help for housing repairs, support for housing supply, or funding for local services and facilities that serve people with greater need. For nonprofits and public agencies, it is a chance to compete for federal dollars that can stretch limited local budgets.

Who can apply and what can fit

The city’s grant program materials say eligible projects can include affordable housing, rehabilitation, community facilities, and public services. That gives local nonprofits, public agencies, and other qualifying applicants a narrow but important lane to propose work that fits Longview’s housing and community needs.

The key point is that the city is asking for proposals within those categories, not opening a blank-check process. Applicants still have to fit federal rules, local priorities, and the city’s review process.

The next step is a public hearing

A separate public notice says Longview City Council will hold a public hearing on May 14 on the 2026 HOME and CDBG funding process. That hearing is the next formal checkpoint before recommendations move ahead.

For residents, the hearing is the main chance to watch how the city weighs housing and service needs for the next funding year. It is also where nonprofit leaders, service providers, and community members can pay attention to which projects rise to the top and which ones do not.

Why this matters locally

These grants do not solve every housing or service problem in Longview, but they can influence smaller, concrete pieces of the local picture: repairs to aging housing, support for affordable units, and public-facing services that help lower-income residents.

That makes the April 24 deadline and the May 14 hearing the two dates to watch next. If local organizations want a share of the 2026 funding, they have to file now. If residents want to follow how Longview plans to use the money, the council hearing is the next place the process moves into public view.

Sources

• City of Longview grant programs page
• City of Longview public hearing notice for 2026 HOME and CDBG funding
• Washington State Department of Commerce HUD 2026 Action Plan notice
• OPB report on Longview Hope Village closure

Firefighters were called Friday afternoon to a Christian school campus in Longview after reports of flames and alarms inside one of the buildings. Crews quickly upgraded the response after finding active fire conditions and smoke venting from the structure.

The fire was contained to a single building that previously housed a chemistry classroom. Officials said the flames were knocked down within about 20 minutes, and no injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation, though early indications suggest it was not suspicious.

City boards prepare for early February meetings

Several city boards and commissions are preparing to meet in the coming days, with agendas now posted for the public. Among them is the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which is scheduled to meet early next week to review funding recommendations tied to tourism-related projects.

City officials continue to encourage residents to follow meeting agendas and participate, either in person or remotely, as discussions move forward on spending priorities and community programs.

February calendar fills with local activities

The city’s February calendar is shaping up with a mix of public meetings, library programs, and recreation activities. Library events remain especially active, with multiple programs scheduled for families, readers, and lifelong learners throughout the month.

Parks and recreation listings also show a steady lineup of winter activities, giving residents plenty of options to stay engaged despite the colder season. City staff note that event details can change, so residents are encouraged to check schedules regularly.

Looking ahead

As Longview moves through the first full week of February, public safety responses, civic meetings, and community programming remain front and center. Residents can expect more updates as investigations conclude and city boards begin their February work.

Sources

• https://www.kptv.com/2025/07/19/fire-destroys-former-chemistry-classroom-longview-christian-school/
• https://www.mylongview.com/Calendar.aspx
• https://www.mylongview.com/