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PULLMAN, Washington—Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories has begun construction on a new roadway into the Port of Whitman County. The road, which is located on SEL property, runs parallel to NE Hopkins Court beginning at NE Terre View and ending at NE Hickman Court.

The scope of the project includes widening and paving the existing road, as well as adding sidewalks and street lights. It will remain a one-way drive from NE Terre View Drive to Faraday Lane before turning into a two-way drive ending at NE Hickman Court.

The road is currently closed, but will reopen in late November. The project will intermittently block part of NE Terre View Drive but flaggers will maintain traffic flow.

Local contractors working on the project, include ML Albright & Sons and Greg's Electrical.

SEL enlisted the help of its employee owners to name the road.

“When we started designing the road, we agreed it would be fun invite our employees to have a hand in naming it,” said Schultheis.

SEL’s property team received more than 200 nominations. The name Maxwell Drive was selected in honor of James C. Maxwell, a 19th century pioneer in chemistry and physics who contributed greatly to the understanding of electromagnetism.

“Maxwell Drive continues our tribute to pioneers of invention along with Tesla Street, Mosher Drive and Faraday Lane.”

SEL serves the power industry worldwide through the design, manufacture, supply and support of products and services for power system protection, monitoring, control, automation, communications and metering. For more than 30 years, SEL has offered unmatched local technical support, a worldwide, 10-year product warranty and a commitment to making electric power safer, more reliable and more economical.