What are some solutions to these highway impacts

We feel that the first step solution is the addition of a two-way turn lane to remove left turn traffic from the travel lanes and add paved shoulders to allow traffic to yield to emergency vehicles and hold breakdowns and collision vehicles.  Adding additional lanes beyond this would threaten the valley farming and ruin the rural environment of the valley.  

Heavy traffic near Seattle
School bus accident with bus in the ditch along SR162
Snow covered trees and historic building along SR162

QUESTIONING APPLICATION: 

  • High volume rural highway
  • Heavy combination truck traffic
  • Meters traffic downstream restricting access
  • See CRISIS page for more reasons
  • QUESTIONS FOR WSDOT
  • BETTER SOLUTION: 
  • Retain traffic signals using latest traffic management technology and apply additional roundabout funds to adding two-way turn lanes and shoulder lanes
Sunset casting colors onto Mt Rainier with rural farm in foreground

SR162 NEEDS A TWO-WAY TURN LANE BETWEEN SUMNER AND ORTING

  • THIS CAN BE DONE USING EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY
  • There are 140 uncontrolled access points (resident drives, businesses, farm access, and streets) between SR410 and Orting High School
  • This will allow for left turning vehicles to enter the center turn lane leaving the thru traffic lane eliminating backups
  • It also allows safer access from uncontrolled streets and drives using the center lane to merge when turning left onto SR162
  • Business access will be made easier and safer
  • This we think is our most important solution and we need to request state funding to the WSDOT for this upgrade
  • Viisit our Please Help page
Intersection of SR162 and 410

EMERGENCY SHOULDERS

  • Addition of emergency shoulders along SR162 corridor from SR410 to Orting
  • Allows disabled vehicles and non-blocking collision vehicles a place to exit the highway lanes 
  • The shoulder lane allows vehicles to clear highway lane to allow emergency vehicles passage
  • Lahar evacuation can use these shoulders

SHOULDER BUS STOP ZONES

  • School buses can use the shoulder for safer student pickup and drop off
  • Emergency shoulders could also include Community transit bus stop zones in the future
View of Mt. Rainier up Tehaleh Highway

SR162/SR410

SR410 / SR162 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS

  • WSDOT is proposing roundabouts at each side of the interchange bridge
  • Truck traffic (majority are tractor trailer combinations) requiring 2 lanes to negotiate roundabouts will result in major slowdowns
  • Risk of collisions is greater trying to combine commuting and commercial traffic in a roundabout series
  • Signaled intersections create a safer and better negotiable turn for large trucks resulting in better flow
  • Abbreviated clover leaf design would be more efficient at moving all vehicles smoothly

County Roads

PIERCE COUNTY MUST ACT TOO

  • County roads must be ready to handle additional traffic to and from Tehaleh
  • Tehaleh east / west travel falls onto Military Road 
  • Military Road from SR162 is not able to safely handle additional Tehaleh traffic MORE HERE
  • McCutcheon Road will be an SR162 bypass
    • Intersection improvements at Rhodes Lake Road are necessary
    • Traffic speeds must be reduced and enforced to discourage over use.
  • See our PLEASE HELP page

WSDOT

Washington State Department of Transportation MUST BE CONVINCED TO RESPOND

  • Currently SR162 is at an "F" level of service (the most congested rating)
  • Adding 1000 cars per peak hour will add additional hours to the commuting windows
  • Safety issues and environmental issues must be addressed along with traffic flow solutions
  • WSDOT will only respond if they hear from thousands of citizens on this issue
  • See our PLEASE HELP page
  • Stay informed on our UPDATE PAGE