Project news

• Construction on Stage 1a of the SR 167 Completion Project starts in February of 2020! Over the next 18 months, WSDOT’s contractor, Atkinson Construction, will build a new four lane bridge over I-5 at 70th Avenue East, and a roundabout at the new intersection of 70th Avenue East and SR 99.
• We are continuing to work on preliminary design and environmental permitting for our Stage 1b project, which will build a connection between I-5 and SR 509 near the Port of Tacoma.
• We have now acquired over 88 percent of the needed right of way for our planned improvements.

Needs & benefits

Check out our video about the SR 167 Project to learn about the project’s benefits and get a glimpse of what it will look like when it’s completed.

The SR 167 Completion project will build the remaining four miles of SR 167 between Meridian Avenue in Puyallup and I-5, completing a long-planned connection to I-5. The project also includes a two mile connection from I-5 to the Port of Tacoma.

SR 167 is the primary freeway connecting the Kent and Puyallup River valleys to the Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue metropolitan area. The original planned route for the highway ran from Renton to Tacoma, but construction halted near Puyallup in the 1980s before the freeway could be completed to Tacoma. This new highway segment when completed will provide two general purpose lanes in each direction between Puyallup and I-5, and one lane in each direction between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma.

When completed, drivers will see a divided highway with access points at interchanges in key locations: SR 509, 54th Avenue, I-5, Valley Avenue East and SR 161.

The SR 167 project is a critical missing link in the state's highway network. Its completion will benefit the movement of freight, while improving safety and reducing congestion on local roads and highways in the surrounding area.

Project Benefits

• Freight connections. Completes critical freight links between the Port of Tacoma and the manufacturing and industrial areas in Pierce County. 
• Regional mobility. Reduces congestion on local roads and highways by providing improved east-west travel.
• Intelligent transportation. Improves safety and manages congestion with tolling.
• Multi modal connections. Connects walking/biking trails, including the Interurban Trail.
• Environmental enhancements. Restores wildlife and aquatic habitat, improves water quality, and provides connectivity to local pedestrian trails.
• Regional job and economic growth. Supports regional job growth and economic growth associated with the state's two largest ports.
   

Historical bridge

Prior to this project, WSDOT built a new bridge on N. Meridian St. over the Puyallup River in Puyallup. The old bridge, a historic 1925 steel truss bridge, was relocated on nearby state property. WSDOT is offering the public an opportunity to relocate and preserve the bridge off state property by June 2019. Historical documentation, an expired Request for Proposals, and amendment documentation on this offer are available for review. Any parties interested in pursuing this opportunity through June 2019 may still contact Steve Fuchs at 360-357-2623, or via email at fuchss@wsdot.wa.gov, for more information.

Timeline

The SR 167 Completion Project was originally funded over a 16-year timeline with targeted completion in 2031. The new timeline, which is a result of the State Legislature advancing the Program funding, anticipates project completion in 2028. Based on the funding plan under Connecting Washington, the first stage of construction consists of a new four-lane 70th Avenue East bridge over I-5 in Fife; work begins in late 2019 and will take about two years to complete. Stage 1b, which includes constructing two miles of new highway between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma begins in 2021 and will take five years to complete. Stage 2 builds four miles of new highway between Meridian Avenue and I-5 as well as several new interchanges; construction begins in early 2024 and will take four and a half years to complete.

Funding

The SR 167 Completion Project is funded as part of the Puget Sound Gateway Program. The total cost of the Puget Sound Gateway Program is $1.96 billion; $1.57 billion will come from the Connecting Washington Revenue Package, tolling revenue is expected to be $180 million, and local contributions will be $130 million. The SR 167 Completion Project will receive about $1 billion of the Program’s total funds.