WHAT'S NEW
HERE IS THE LATEST
128th St East/West Transportation Corridor Designation
The need for east/west redundancy and connectivity of the east Pierce County transportation network is clearly needed to support the growth in this section of the county. We have proposed to the County Council and PC Public Works to destinate the 128th St E corridor from SR7 to the Bonney Lake plateau as the next E/W multi-modal (bike and pedestrian path and transit service) east PC corridor. This would include extending 128th St E from SR162 to South Hill which requires a connection built up the undeveloped hillside.
128th St E Extension - Comprehensive Plan
We were able to make an important step toward the 128th St Multi-modal corridor by amending the PC Comprehensive Plan to include the 128th St E extension as part of the E/W corridor (a necessary step in moving this project forward). Council member Morrell was key in introducing the amendment. Council will vote on the amendment May 21, 2024.
128th St E Extension - Study Funding
The next step is to acquire funding to prepare a final EIS to identify a potential extension of 128th St E from SR162 to either Military Rd or Reservoir Rd (connects to 128th St E on South Hill) as a new E/W corridor. We think that we have more than proven that Military Rd is not a viable alternative unless for some reason the Reservoir Rd connection is not possible.
ORVILLE ROAD ROUNDABOUT
THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE ROUNDABOUT FOR A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. IT WILL SLOW TRAFFIC SPEEDS TO ENTER AND SAFELY MANAGE MOVEMENT THROUGH IT. SEE, WE DO RECOGNIZE ROUNDABOUTS APPLIED IN THE RIGHT SITUATIONS. WORK TO BEGIN ON THIS PROJECT IN MID 2025.
MCMILLIN ROUNDABOUT
THE PLANNED ROUNDABOUT AT 128th St E AND SR162 WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AND WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME A MULTI-LANE ROUNDABOUT. THIS DOES ALLOW FOR A MULTI-LANE EVACUATION WHEN THE THIRD CENTER LANE IS ADDED TO SR162. OTHER ROUNDABOUTS ON THIS SECTION OF SR162 MUST BE MULTI-LANE TO ALLOW FOR MULTI-LANE EVACUATION OF THE VALLEY. CONSTRUCTION WILL BE BEGIN SPRING OF 2025. WE HOPE THAT WE ARE WRONG ABOUT ALL OF OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS DECISION.
PREPARE YOURSELF FOR SR162 TRAFFIC INTERUPTIONS IN 2025
THE MANY PROJECTS MENTIONED ABOVE ARE SCHEDULED FOR 2025 TO INCLUDE ROUNDABOUTS IN 3 LOCATIONS ALONG SR162 FROM SR410 TO ORVILLE ROAD. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ARE BAD NOW DURING MOST AFTERNOONS ON THIS CORRIDOR. NOW WEEKENDS ARE GETTING WORST. YOU NEED TO PREPARE YOURSELF WITH PLANS FOR ALTERNATE CORRIDORS AND SCHEDULING CHANGES WHEN THIS BEGINS. MENTAL HEALTH IS AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH AND THIS WILL BE A EMOTIONAL CHALLENGE UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED. JUST KNOWING IT IS COMING WILL HELP YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR RESPONSE PLANS.
SR162 OLYMPIA LEGISLATURE LOBBYING
We will be meeting with available transportation committee members of both branches of congress during the next legislative session (Jan 2025). Our objective is to show our support for the ongoing WSDOT SR162 safety improvements study and to keep them informed of the urgency to make these upgrades, requesting their support to fund the project hopefully next session.
WSDOT SR162 SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS STUDY
This design study begins in June 2025 to add center turn lane and safety shoulders to SR162 between Orting and Sumner. This improvement will reduce traffic flow interuptions from left turns, provide a third travel lane during a valley evacuation, and allow for safer access and egress to SR162. This improvement is needed ASAP in that traffic volume is projected to increase by 150% over the next 15 years.
WSDOT PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTIVITY STUDY
Our group was a stakeholder participant in this transportation study completed in fall of 2023 by WSDOT. It was suppose to be a study to determine a solution to the limited east/west flow of traffic options for Pierce County. This shortfall in the transportation network is resulting in overburdened north/south corridors such as SR161 and SR162. The study did look at our recommendation for extending 128th St E (Tehaleh highway) to South Hill as on option. It also showed how there is a lack of multi-modal (vehicles, public transportation, and active transportation) in the transportation network. No recommendations were offered.
HIGH CEDARS COMMUNITY JOINS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SR162
Unsafe conditions face High Cedars residents and golf course customers in accessing and egressing SR162. Like so many of the 140 uncontrolled access points between Sumner and Orting, safely and timely entry onto this conjested highway is becoming more dangerous. We welcome their participation with our efforts to make highway safety improvements.
WSDOT WILL BE INSTALLING ROUNDABOUTS ON THE SR410/SR162 INTERCHANGE
WSDOT is going to construct roundabouts at both ends of the bridge over SR410. They will also be improving the interchange approaches to them. Construction begins spring 2025.
LOBBYING EFFORTS:
We have been actively connecting with not only our district legislators but also all of the transportation committee members of both the House and Senate. We need you to do that too (See the Please Help page for guidance).
IMPACTS OF SR162 ON AN ORTING VALLEY EVACUATION EFFORT
Pierce County has created a valley evacuation plan, installed an early warning system, and added additional corridors to higher ground in case of a lahar event. The city of Orting has an evacuation plan in place as well. But there is a problem. The State of Washington has done nothing to improve evacuation efforts on the only escape route in the Orting Valley, SR162.
Now WSDOT is adding roundabouts to this corridor, if not done properly will inhibit an evacuation effort. Further, they have no plans to widen the highway that would facilitate a faster and safer evacuation. Adding a two-way turn lane will provide a third lane for valley evacuation as long as roundabouts do not create chock points (roundabouts between Sumner and Orting MUST BE MULTI-LANE ROUNDABOUTS to accommodate an evacuation. We will continue to express our community concerns to legislators and you can do the same (go to our "PLEASE HELP" page for emails for legislators, WSDOT, and transporation committee chairs and members.
ARCHIVE NEWS
TNT HERALD ARTICLE
The latest is our reaction to the December 30, 2020 article in the TNT Herald that concluded we have lost the battle with WSDOT over the proposed roundabout at SR162 and 128th St E (the intersection where the four lane Tehaleh highway intersects with the two lane valley highway.) We obviously disagree and it has fueled our continued efforts to overcome the oligarchy methods WSDOT is using against us.
ROUNDABOUT CONSTRUCTION WILL PROCEED
We have been unable to get state legislative support to force WSDOT to perform a more complete feasibility study on the proposed roundabout at 128th St E (McMillin) and SR162. Funding for the roundabout from the Tehaleh developer, therefore no state transportation dollars were needed. Even with all of the public support (petition and emails) for a new study, the state transportation committee would not make a request to WSDOT.
DAVID VS. GOLIATH:
We have made every effort to respectfully work with WSDOT and request answers to our questions. All efforts to open a dialog with them have been rejected. The answers to our questions are answered "in the model" but never shared with us. Now WSDOT claims that our requests come too late, they will be installing a two-lane roundabout. WSDOT may have overlooked that they may have wakened the TIGER by their oligarchy ways.
REVISIT LAHAR PAGE:
The Orting Valley is at high risk of being covered by a Mt. Rainier lahar. When is not the only question, how do we get people evacuated fast enough to save lives is another question. When is anyone's guess, but they say it is inevitable. How we save lives needs to be addressed NOW. Restricting the evacuation with a series of roundabouts on SR162 (as planned by WSDOT) is not good planning to save lives. (Also see our take action to page to stop roundabouts page HERE)
