EXTEND 128th St E (Tehaleh highway) TO SOUTH HILL
OUR PROPOSAL
Proposal would remove over 1000 vehicles per hour from SR162 during evening commute
Extension of 128th St E from SR162 to 122nd Ave E on Puyallup South Hill
Provides A direct route for Tehaleh plateau east-west travels to/from South Hill
New corridor would scale undeveloped hillside without displacing residents
Hillside road would probably connect with 144th St E at 134th Ave E
144th St E provides an east/west connection to South Hill arterials
Provides a more even disbursement of traffic entering South Hill transportation network
Reduces east-west Tehaleh traffic on Military Road
Provides an east/west route to SR161 businesses
(SEE MAP OF OUR NEW CORRIDOR PROPOSAL HERE)
COUNTY ACTION TAKEN
Pierce County and WSDOT are conducting a study for a new east/west corridor from SR162 to I-5 with WSDOT is the lead agency
Pierce County has performed a computer model for extending 128th St E at SR162 to the South Hill plateau
That model had favorable results
This may make the extension of 128th St E a viable option for the larger east/west corridor study
Pierce County is also doing a study on Military Road improvements
The new design would increase capacity while allowing for access to residents
The cost/benefit ratio does not look good unless another corridor is opened
HISTORY OF NEW TEHALEH HIGHWAY DECISION
PIERCE COUNTY COUNCIL PASSED ORDINANCE NO 208-28s IN JUNE OF 2008
ORDINANCE called for the establishment of a new arterial corridor from Tehaleh (and Falling Waters) to 128th St E and SR162
PURPOSE was to improve east-west mobility for the Orting Plateau (Tehaleh/Falling Waters developments)
MILITARY ROAD was considered the east-west link west of SR162 for plateau traffic (putting over 1000 vehicles per hour onto SR162 destined for South Hill Puyallup via Military Road)
IMPACTS TO SR162 TRAFFIC
SR162 traffic will bottleneck at this one mile corridor as Tehaleh traffic connects to Military Road to South Hill Puyallup
Over two thousand vehicles will be using this east/west corridor each day linking Tehaleh to South Hill Puyallup
Heavy left turn traffic at 128th St E and at Military Road on this section of SR162 causing further delays in traffic movement
IMPACTS TO MILITARY ROAD
2018 Pierce County AADT (Annual Average Daily Traffic) Report
In last 5 years 60% increase in amount of traffic on Military Road west of SR162
Traffic on this corridor increasing annually WITHOUT added Tehaleh traffic
Projected Military Road peak hour traffic numbers (increase from Tehaleh traffic)
2,606* vehicles per peak commuting hour traveling UP and DOWN Military Road
Currently 955* vehicles both directions
1,319* vehicles per peak commute hour UP (westbound) Military Road
Currently 505* vehicles Up
1,287* vehicles per peak commute hour DOWN (eastbound) Military Road
Currently 450* vehicles Down
SR162/Military Road Intersection
Increase in the number of left turns northbound on SR162
Causing further delays to north/south SR162 travel times
Access/Egress to Military Road by surrounding residents
Volume will prevent entry from driveways and adjacent residential streets
If a roundabout is installed on SR162 this scenrio will worsen
* 2018 Transportation Discipline Report - figure 4-9
* 2017 Tehaleh EBPC Phase 2 SEIS - figure 3-5