SR162 COMMUNITY GROUP
Finding Transportation Network Solutions
For East Pierce County
Highway from Tehaleh
Pierce County designated name:
"New Rhodes Lake Road East"
PROJECT UPDATE
NEW HIGHWAY WORK
FEBRUARY 19, 2026
The new corridor (connecting the Bonney Lake plateau at Tehaleh development with SR162) phase 1 of construction has been completed. As you can see from selected vantage points that much of the highway excavation has been completed from the Taheleh end to near the bottom of the hill. The stoppage is due to environmental impact issues regarding the roadway crossing over the Puyallup River. Previous approval has been interupted by new issues. The flood plain issues east of the river have been mitigated by Tehaleh/Brookfield with the purchase of many acres of flood plain land along McCutchen Rd. Compliance is expected to be resolved and phase 2 construction is expected to resume in early 2026.
128th ST E WORK
I must retract what I said about construction starting on 128th St E between the Puyallup river and SR162. This phase of the 128th St E construction will be limited to the roundabout approaches and exits. Work on the south side roundabout exit will begin this month and be completed in approximately 2 months. Work will begin on the northside roundabout approaches this May through July. I will attempt to get the timeline on adding the 4 travel lanes and turn lane between the Puyallup river and SR162 and pass it on to you. My apology for the disinformation.
SR162 WORK
The roundabout work at SR162 is currently underway. The relocation of untilities has been completed. Construction work will be during the night hours between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. Watch for changing lane alignments through this intersection throughout the year. The SR162 roundabout approach work will continue until next November. The actual roundabout will be constructed between January and March of 2027.
We all have to remember that this project is important to reduce the SR162 impact of the additional traffic to and from the Bonney Lake plateau. The work is scheduled as to cause as little impact to the SR162 corridor as possible. It is hard to have more patience when there is little left, but this is what it takes to make improvements to our corridor. Make your commute and travel plans accordingly. Something is being done to help!
This is the only roundabout currently funded. The WSDOT SR162 study recommends more roundabouts to help traffic flow. Pierce County is now studying extending 128th St E to South Hill via a new road up the hillside, which will take all east/west traffic off of SR162. None of this is funded. We will need your help to pressure the legislature next January and Pierce County, whenever their study is complete, to fund these projects. Things will never change unless we speak out, not in anger, but in hard respectful persuasiveness. Future generations are counting on us.
What will the new corridor from Bonney Lake to SR162 look like?
Pierce County is building a second primary corridor from the Bonney Lake plateau....to SR162
A 4-travel lane highway, with a truck climbing lane and mixed use path from Tehaleh Blvd to SR162 at McMillin
A second bridge over the Puyallup River will be built to accommodate additional lanes
128th St E will be widened to accommodate additional lanes and mixed-use lane
McCutchen Road will be realigned to create an intersection with the new highway and approach the bridges from the east side.
A multi-lane roundabout will be installed at the SR162/128th St E intersection at McMillin
SR162 will be widened between 128th St E and Military Rd only to accommodate roundabout
Congestion will increase on SR162 (estimated to be 150% increase by 2030)
Hence why we are proposing to extend 128th St E to South Hill to remove east/west traffic from using SR162 to Military Road
See our proposal HERE
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