SR 162 Community Group

NEW EAST/WEST CORRIDOR STUDY

The "South Pierce County Connectivity Study" to add a new east/west corridor from SR162 to Interstate 5 parallel and south of SR512 wil begin this coming July, 2022.  The original study area was from SR161 (Meridian) east was extended to SR162 by the state transportation committee and funded by the legislature this past session.  This study now includes all of the east Pierce County high growth areas.

Tehaleh can be connected to this study area by extending the new east/west highway to Tehaleh (from where it intersects with SR162 at 128th St E) onto the South Hill plateau.  This corridor could be made part of the WSDOT east/west corridor study. It is critical to provide an east/west connection from this gigantic development to remove the gridlock conditions on SR410, SR162, and SR512. 

COUNTY COUNCIL 

The Pierce County council allocated $50,000 toward the Military Road Study for this year (2022) and another $50,000 for next year (2023). 

• This is sufficient funding for the next level of study, the "Feasibility Study". 
• However, that study will be delayed until the WSDOT new east/west corridor study detemines if this corridor will be used.
• Public Works did however perform a computer model with favorable results.

WIDENING SR162

Widening SR162 is never off the table as far as we are concerned.  We will continue to push for state funding to widen this corridor in affordable phases. 

1. First, adding a two-way turn lane and shoulders
2. Next, discouraging WSDOT from proceeding with adding additional roundabouts to this corridor
3. Then, requesting funding to perform a complete feasibility study to add travel lanes between Sumner and Orting with timelines.

WE WILL CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO  BLOCK FUTURE ROUNDABOUTS ON SR162

We know a roundabout will be coming to SR162 at 128th St E and at the SR410/SR162 interchange.  We will continue our efforts to discourage any other roundabouts on SR162.  This heavy commercial truck corridor will not do well with roundabouts.  Corridor access safety is another strike against roundabouts.  Roundabouts evenly filter vehicles leaving them, resulting in inadequate traffic spacing for safe entry onto the highway from the 167 uncontrolled driveway and business entrances along this corridor.  Signals provide breaks in traffic to allow for safe access.

SR410/SR162 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENT??

The engineer's studies have been completed for the roundabouts at each end of the SR410/SR162 interchange.  It is likely we'll see some groundbreaking in 2023.  We do not know how long it takes to build out these additions, but we all know it will be doubly difficult once they do break ground.  No one is looking forward to either.

WE MUST BE HEARD IN THE DESIGN STUDY FOR ALL FUTURE SR162 IMPROVEMENTS

Any study of transportation improvements on the SR162 corridor between Sumner and Orting must consider the impacts to the entire corridor residents, businesses, farms, Foothills trail users, and commuters.  Beyond the specific project area an impact study must include public safety (access/egress, lahar evacuation, Foothills trail users), farming and agri tourism, and protecting the rural character of the Orting valley.  This is not just a transportation corridor, it is still a farming corridor.

PROTECTING THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE ORTING VALLEY

This is not just highway or intersection related.  We are watching Pierce County development permitting in this valley to be sure that they follow guidelines found in the Alderton-McMillin community plan protecting the rural character of the Orting Valley.

OTHER NEWS

• TEHALEH HIGHWAY WILL BE CONSTRUCTED FROM TEHALEH DEVELOPMENT TO SR162 - that decision was made and approved in 2006.  Construction was scheduled to be started in 2021 but has been extended (new date unknown).  The construction period is expected to be five years.

• GOAL OF THIS GROUP IS TO MINIMIZE THE TRAFFIC and SAFETY IMPACTS OF THIS NEW HIGHWAY ON THE REGIONAL AND VALLEY HIGHWAY SYSTEM - We will continue dialog with WSDOT and Pierce County Transportation Departments with the support of the community and businesses, county and state agencies, state and county government representatives and highway funding mechanisms, to address these issues

• PIERCE COUNTY'S ROLE IN DISPERSING TEHALEH TRAFFIC - we will continue to support and demand that the County address their responsibility for adding a projected 30,000 more vehicles into the Orting valley EACH DAY by supporting extending 128th St. E up to Puyallup South Hill and improving other north south corridors both in the valley and on the plateaus to reduce the traffic on SR162
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• MILITARY ROAD IMPROVEMENTS - Military Road is currently over capacity during commuting hours without the addition of the Tehaleh traffic.  We are proposing two solutions (one of which the County has already funded a study for).  Widening Military Road is being studied and we are proposing some additional recommendations to include signals at the top on 122 Ave E to provide breaks in traffic to allow access and egress to driveways and roads.  along Military Road. It would also reduce uncontroled access points by restricting developments to the north of the Military Road/122nd Ave E corridor to the signaled intersection.

• ALTERNATE EAST/WEST CORRIDOR TO EASE PRESSURE ON MILITARY ROAD - extending 128th St E from the SR162 intersection west up the hillside to connect with either 144th Ave E or Reservoir Road on South Hill. This would provide an east/west corridor from Tehaleh to South Hill without having cars enter SR162 and proceed to Military Road to reach South Hill.  It would also reduce some of the Military Road traffic traveling from Orting to South Hill.

• WSDOT MUST MAKE INVESTMENT INTO THE ORTING VALLEY CORRIDOR – we will continue our efforts to make sure that this transportation corridor improvements are made prior to the completion of the Tehaleh highway in 2025. Adding a third two-way turn lane and shoulders is the reasonable and doable investment that will ease some of the backup and provide safer conditions on this corridor.  There is only around 3 miles of this 8.1 mile corridor that do not currently have the center lane now.  Shoulder widening would be required for most of the corridor, but using the existing right-of-way. This is the smallest transportation budget demand to address this critical valley corridor.  However, we need to pressure our legislators for funding NOW and continuously throught the next budget session.  See our action page HERE. 

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• WSDOT IMPROVEMENTS TO SR162 MUST INCLUDE SAFETY AND HIGHWAY ACCESS CONCERNS - future plans for this corridor must meet context scensitive design criteria established by WA state guidelines, which protects the environment, valley rural character, and residents safety.  We are committed to continuing our dialog with WSDOT.

• COMMUNITY AWARENESS/INVOLVEMENT - We plan to continue keeping you and all other stakeholders informed and involved in this complex process through our Facebook blog, our website, SWAG,, and physical postings.  Your involvement is critical and we are working to increase ways to inform you better

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• PAINFULLY SLOW PROCESS – don't get discouraged, instant gratification is what we all long for but unfortunately these processes take time.  Be patient and periodically follow us on our website for updates

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• THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERSHIP TEAM – we would not be forcing solutions to the Orting Valley traffic issues if it were not for the leadership of a small group of concerned valley residents comprised of a local blogger, an experienced leader, a valley farmer, a public relations specialist, a first time webpage designer and some experienced worker bees

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• THANKS TO OUR BLOG MEMBERS – you are probably among the most informed or at least the most quickly informed of our community group members.  Thanks for your continued interest and involvement, you are the reason we are able to do what we do.  KEEP IT UP!

• How YOU can help