The bypass was constructed as an extension of South Wenas Avenue and eliminated a pair of sharp turns to and from a one-block section of Naches Avenue. Construction was delayed from spring 2010 to the following year and was completed on August 1, 2011, during a dedication ceremony that named the bypass for legislator Jim Clements, who lobbied for its inclusion in the 2005 budget. The bypass took a third of the 30,000 vehicles that passed through downtown Selah on a daily basis; SR 823 remains the only means of accessing Selah, but plans to build a third interchange on I-82 were considered by the city government in the late 2010s.
The bypass was built as an extension of South Wenas Avenue and eliminated two sharp turns to and from a one-block section of Naches Avenue. Construction began in spring 2010 but was delayed until the following year, completing on August 1, 2011, during a ceremony honoring legislator Jim Clements, who supported its inclusion in the 2005 budget. The bypass diverted one-third of the 30,000 daily vehicles through downtown Selah; SR 823 remained the sole access route, but plans for a third interchange on I-82 were considered by city officials in the late 2010s.