Date:  Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Contact: Neal Uhlmeyer, WSDOT Project Engineer, 360-412-3421
             Emily Pace, WSDOT Communications, 360-357-2716

SPANAWAY – Construction began today on the first of five State Route 704 cross-base highway projects that build a six-mile corridor from Interstate 5 in Lakewood to SR 7 in Spanaway.

Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond joined several local, state and federal officials at a ground-breaking ceremony this morning in Spanaway to kick off this $7.35 million project slated for completion in June 2009.

Project 1 widens a .7-mile stretch of Spanaway Loop Road to five lanes, adds a second right-turn lane from Spanaway Loop Road to southbound SR 7, and adds a second left-turn lane from northbound SR 7 to Spanaway Loop Road.

The new lanes provide safety and congestion-relief benefits at this busy Pierce County intersection.

WSDOT workers and crews from the project contractor, Ceccanti, Inc., were on hand with a dump truck and back hoe. Officials turned dirt with shovels near the corner of SR 7 and 176th Street.

The remaining SR 704 projects will be completed as funding becomes available. The new corridor stretches east to west between Fort Lewis and McChord military bases and provides congestion relief and reduced delays on I-5, SR 512, SR 7 and county roads.

Project information online: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR704/CrossBase/

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