What We Have Done

WORKING TOGETHER
WITH OUR STATE, COUNTY, CITIES
AND COMMUNITIES 

Many hands coming together in middle of image
  • WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED A PUSH TO GET THE 128TH ST EXTENSION FROM SR162 TO THE SOUTH HILL PLATEAU INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (necessary to get this project moving forward).  THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT AND SOME WORK ON OUR PART WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AN AMENDMENT ADDED TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO INCLUDE THIS EXTENSION IN THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT.  WE SENT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER (copied County  Executive) A WEEKLY MAILING OVER FOUR WEEKS.  EACH WEEK WE PROVIDED THEM WITH INFORMATION ON THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS AND BENEFITS OF A NEW CORRIDOR BETWEEN THE BONNEY LAKE AND SOUTH HILL PLATEAUS.  IN ADDITION, EACH WEEK WE MADE A FOLLOW-UP IN-PERSON PRESENTATION DURING THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.  THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE VERY RECEPTIVE AND APPRECIATED OUR METHOD OF COMMUNICATING OUR ISSUE. 
    • YOUR COMMENTS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONTRIBUTED AS WELL AS DID YOUR WRITTEN SUPPORT TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
    • AMENDMENT APPROVAL PENDING A MAY 21 COUNCIL MEETING VOTE
    • STAY TUNED
       
  • OUR ORGANIZATION HAS JOINED THE STAKEHOLDERS GROUP ASSIGNED TO THE WSDOT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT STUDY FOR SR162.  WE HOPE TO INFLUENCE THE STUDY TO FOCUS ON THREE AREAS: 1) ADDING 2-WAY TURN LANE FROM SUMNER TO ORTING, 2) ADDING SAFETY SHOULDERS (CAR WIDTH) TO SAME CORRIDOR, AND 3) INTERSECTION SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUSIER ACCESS ROADS
     
  • WE ACCOMPLISHED FUNDING IN THE STATE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET DIRECTING WSDOT TO PERFORM A DESIGN STUDY TO ADD A CENTER TURN LANE AND SAFETY SHOULDERS TO SR162 BETWEEN ORTING AND SUMNER.  THIS STUDY IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN EARLY 2024.  WE NEED YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE STUDY THROUGH YOUR EMAILS OF SUPPORT TO WSDOT FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND AT PUBLIC HEARINGS.  THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE CRITICAL NOT ONLY TO IMPROVE CURRENT SAFETY CONDITIONS ON THIS CORRIDOR BUT TO ADDRESS THE EXTREME TRAFFIC VOLUME INCREASES FROM THE NEW HIGHWAY CONNECTING TEHALEH TO SR162.

 

  • WE NOW ARE REPRESENTED IN THE MONTHLY PIERCE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMISSION TO ADD OUR COMMENTS AND INFLUENCE WHERE NEEDED.  THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS IN AND AROUND THE ORTING VALLEY.

 

  • MEETING WITH COUNTY EXECUTIVE, DISTRICT COUNTY COUNCILMEN, AND PUBLIC WORKS TO PRESENT OUR PROPOSAL TO EXTEND 128TH ST E (TEHALEH HIGHWAY TO SOUTH HILL PUYALLUP).  WE PRESENTED THE MANY REASONS AND BENEFITS.  PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS AS PART OF THEIR FEASIBILITY STUDY ON IMPROVING MILITARY ROAD AND ADDING ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS.  IT IS A START.

 

  • STAGED SUCCESSFUL PETITION DRIVE TO GATHER SIGNATURES TO PRESENT TO STATE LEGISLATORS REQUESTING THEIR SUPPORT TO FORCE WSDOT TO FOLLOW STATE GUIDELINES AND POLICIES REGARDING THE TRANSPORTATION ROUNDABOUT PROJECT ON SR162

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH STATE LEGISLATORS AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS - In private and group meetings, the latter bringing together all stakeholders in this intersection and highway dispute

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH CITY MAYORS AND ADMINISTRATORS - have met with mayors and made presentation to city councils, public works, and public safety agencies regarding the impacts SR162 issues will have on their residents

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH WA STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTAION SECRETARY - sent letter and received reply regarding the SR162/128th St. E intersection

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH WSDOT TRAFFIC ENGINEERS - assigned to this corridor and the engineers behind the proposed roundabout design for this intersection

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH PIERCE COUNTY TRAFFIC ENGINEERS -  assigned to this corridor and the engineers studying the east Pierce County transportation network

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH SR162 BUSINESSES - who will be impacted by the decisions made on the SR162 intersections and the resulting traffic impacts to their businesses

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH VALLEY RESIDENTS - including development representatives, home owner associations, and single family residents via our blog

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH YOUR LETTERS AND EMAILS – having had a major impact on making Olympia painfully aware of the SR162 situation – we were one of the larger noisemakers in the 2019 Olympia legislative session. The efforts of the public with their letters and emails helped moving the widening of SR162 between Sumner and Orting to the top of the Transportation budger committee's agenda this year – thank you  NOW, lets continue into 2020 until we get funding.

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH PIERCE COUNTY EXECUTIVE - we have met with the County Executive Bruce Dammeier who was very receptive and attentive to our attempts to find resolution to the traffic problems in the Sumner to Orting transportation corridor.  He is personally familiar with the issues in this area of the County.  While the County's focus is on completing the Canyon Road corridor connection to the future SR167 exension, he indicated that the County is aware and will be focusing on the Sumner to Orting corridor and its connecting County roads in an effort to address the issues we have

 

  • DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH TEHALEH SITE LEADERSHIP - to discuss development plans, highway construction and design plans, as well as traffic impacts to the valley

 

  • PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN- our awareness program has reached out to the community through our Website, Facebook Blog, SWAG, business posters, and roadside banners

 

  • MEDIA - The Tacoma News Tribune and Puyallup Herrald ran a video and article on our group and the issues concerning this SR162 corridor.  We plan future coverage when the timing is right​​​​​​

 

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT