MILITARY ROAD'S FUTURE
 

Dramatic volume changes are coming to
Military Road

between SR162 and South Hill

 

REASONS WHY

PIERCE COUNTY COUNCIL PASSED ORDINANCE NO 208-28s IN JUNE OF 2008 

  • ORDINANCE called for the establishment of a new arterial corridor from Bonney Lake developments (Tehaleh, Falling Waters, etc.) to 128th St E and SR162 called New Rhodes Lake Road East (we call it the Tehaleh highway)

  • PURPOSE was to improve east-west mobility for the Bonney Lake Plateau 

  • MILITARY ROAD was considered the east-west link west of SR162 for plateau to plateau traffic

 

UPDATE:  NEW RHODES LAKE ROAD EAST (Tehaleh highway) NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

IMPACTS TO MILITARY ROAD

TRAFFIC VOLUME

  • 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 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 at SR162 same scenrio will result

 

         * 2018 Transportation Discipline Report - figure 4-9

         ** 2017 Tehaleh EBPC Phase 2 SEIS - figure 3-5

 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

  • Hillside streams would be impacted by road widening

  • Noise and air pollution to residents from climbing trucks

  • Wetlands impacts from expanded roadway

 

PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES

  • Resident access/egress safety 

  • Unsafe multimodal access

 

SOLUTIONS

EXTENSION OF THE NEW RHODES LAKE ROAD EAST CORRIDOR (TEHALEH HIGHWAY) TO SHARE PLATEAU TO PLATEAU TRAFFIC WITH CURRENT MILITARY ROAD

  • Two possible connections at 144th St E or 128th St E (Reservoir Road)

  • New corridor will scale undeveloped hillside avoiding costly residential displacement

  • Reduces east-west mobility volumes from Military Road

  • Lower mobility volumes reduces the level of upgrades needed to Military Road 

  • Completes an east/west connection between Bonney Lake and South Hill plateaus

  • Provides Bonney Lake plateau residents a direct connection to SR161 businesses and South Hill medical facilities

  • Provides 

WHAT CAN WE DO?

  • ENCOURAGE PIERCE COUNTY TO PERSUE THE EXTENSION OF THE RHODES LAKE ROAD EAST (TEHALEH HIGHWAY) TO SOUTH HILL

    • 128th St. E needs to be extended west from SR162 by building a new roadway

    • This new road would scale hillside to 144th St E or Reservoir Rd on the South Hill plateau

    • Corridor would allow connection to north/south corridor 122nd Ave E or continue west

    • Traffic could service SR161 businesses and South Hill medical facilities

    • Offers east/west mobility REDUNDANCY with Military Road