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Upgrading the east Pierce County transportation network is our primary focus now. This network dramatically impacts all north/south commuting corridors such as SR162. The lack of an east/west connection corridor leaves east Pierce County residents lacking in equity of service. Residents on the Bonney Lake plateau (fastest growing residential area) are lacking public transportation, direct connectivity to the South Hill plateau and an altenative east/west corridor to SR410.
The new highway from the Tehaleh development partially provides an east/west corridor but terminates at SR162 at 128th St E in the Orting Valley. This forces traffic wanting to access South Hill onto SR162 for one mile to Military Road. This increases congestion on SR162 and overloads a narrow hillside Military Road. The answer is not to try to widen Military Road but to extend 128th St E up the undeveloped hillside to Reservoir Road and west on 128th St E to available north/south arterials (122 Ave E, Meridian, 94th Ave E, Canyon Road, and Pacific Ave E.)
Request Pierce County council members to raise the priority of this project into the top tier of needed transportation improvemments. Immediate funding should be authorized to perform the required preliminary studies to move this project forward. A final feasibilty study to determine the project scope is needed. These decisions need to be made now. The new highway from Tehaleh is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
WSDOT
State Government
County Government
JoAnn Schueler
Planning & programming manager
schuelj@wsdot.wa.gov
Steve Roark
Regional Administrator
steve.roark@wsdot.wa.gov
Encourage WSDOT to focus on safety on this short corridor of SR162 between SR410 and Orting city limits.
This includes raising the priority on performing the funded study for a two-way turn lane and paved shoulders between SR410 and Orting. The Tehaleh highway to SR162 is scheduled to be completed within five years. This will increase volume on SR162 dramatically.
Also WSDOT should include making the intersection at 149th St E and SR162 (High Cedars) a controlled intersection. Volume levels from the residential community and golf club patrons are creating hazardous access and egress conditions on this 50mph stretch of SR162. The Foothills Trail parallels SR162 and trail users must cross this uncontrolled intersection.
Transportation safety is a state and county priority and this project stands at the forefront of corridors to be impacted by a dramatic increase in traffic and it's resulting threat to driver and pedestrian safety.
We cannot overlook the benefit of a third lane to the evacuation of the Orting Valley from a Mt. Rainier lahar.
Current warning systems will not save valley residents, businesses, and commuters with only two lanes to evacuate thousands in less than an hour.
Be respectful and encourage WSDOT to respond to the safety and commute challenges of the SR162 corridor between Sumner and Orting.
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AREA LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
Rep. Andrew Barkis, Dist 2*
(360) 786-7824
Andrew.Barkis@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Kelly Chambers, Dist 25
(360) 786-7948
Kelly.Chambers@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, Dist 25
(360) 786-7968
Cyndy.Jacobsen@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Eric Robertson, Dist 31*
(360) 786-7866
Eric.Robertson@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Drew Stokesbary, Dist 31
(360) 786-7846LETTER TEMPLATE
Drew.Stokesbary@leg.wa.gov
Rep J.T.Wilcox, Dist 2
(360) 786-7912
JT.Wilcox@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Jim McCune, Dist 2
(306) 786-7602
Jim.McCune@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Phil Fortunato, Dist 31*
(360) 786-7660
phil.fortunato@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Chris Gildon, Dist 25
(360) 786-7648
Chris.Gildon@leg.wa.gov
Always keep emails and letters respectful
(Emails and letters become a part of public record)
Continually request action be taken to address the urgent need for extending the new highway from the Bonney Lake plateau to the South Hill Plateau. (Map)
Bruce Dammeier, County Executive
bruce.dammeier@piercecountywa.gov
Dave Morell, Dist 1
dave.morell@piercecountywa.gov
Paul Herrera, Dist 2
paul.herrera@piercecountywa.gov
Amy Cruver, Dist 3
amy.cruver@piercecountywa.gov
Ryan Mello, Dist 4
ryan.mello@piercecountywa.gov
Marty Campbell, Dist 5
marty.campbell@piercecountywa.gov
Jani Hitchen, Dist 6,
jani.hitchen@piercecountywa.gov
Robyn Denson, Dist 7
robyn.denson@piercecountywa.gov