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