Pierce County's Role in Preserving Farming on the SR162 Farming Corridor

Pierce County's Commitment to Farming

 

 

Pierce County's Shortfalls In Supporting Farming

 

  • County fell short in following the Alderton-McMillin Community Plan when it failed to mitigate traffic impacts to farming as a result of the new Tehaleh highway connecting to SR162.

  • Funding for the program to purchase farm development rights seems to have dried up

  • Farm requests to add farm related food establishments to farms was denied

  • Design of Tehaleh highway does not meet community plan requirement to protect the valley viewshed and preserve the rural character of the Orting Farming Valley

 

What Should Pierce County Do To Continue to Support Farming on the SR162 Farming Corridor?

 

  • REDUCE TRAFFIC IMPACTS TO FARMING BY:

    • Creating and improving alternative transportation corridors to SR162

    • Extend the Tehaleh highway westward on 128th St E to the South Hill area to avoid that traffic from entering SR162 to access Military Road

    • Lobby Washington State legislators and WSDOT to eliminate any roundabouts on this farming corridor

    • Lobby Washington State legislators and WSDOT to fund the addition of a two-way turn lane and full shoulders within the existing right-of-way on SR162 between Sumner and Orting.

    • Refocus and refund program to purchase development rights of farms along this corridor

 

  • PROTECT THE RURAL FARMING CHARACTER OF THE ORTING VALLEY
    • Viewshed:  Make necessary design changers to the new Tehaleh highway to protect viewshed
      • Require level 3 landscaping which plants trees and landscaping on hillside scarred by highway
      • Add a five foot or greater berm to the valley side of the highway to hide the highway
      • Minimize highway lighting to reduce exposure to valley residents
    • Traffic Noise:  Make necessary design changes to the new Tehaleh highway to muffle noise
      • Reduce noise levels by restricting use of truck compression brakes on this highway
      • Add a five foot or greater berm to reflect sound upward and away from valley floor
    • Light Polution:  Make necessary design changes to the new Tehaleh highway to reduce lighting issues
      • Incorporate light fixtures that can be adjusted to minimum levels of light
      • Space lighting to reduce coverage (divided highway with no access points needs less lighting)
    • Traffic:  Lobby Washington State legislators and WSDOT to restricting highway improvments to only adding an additional two-way turn lane and shoulders with no roundabouts between Sumner and Orting on SR162

 

What Can You Do?

  • Email or write on a regular basis your concerns about protecting farming and the rural character of the valley.
    • Use our information and tools on the Please Help page of this website
    • Include what action you are requesting that they take
    • Be very respectful, they are doing their best to work with us on these issues
    • Be forceful in expressing your concerns and what impacts are threatening you if farms fail
    • Follow our progress on this website or join our facebook page