The Washington State Legislature allocated funding in the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions for a planning study to look at the need for additional connectivity in the area between SR 161, SR 7, SR 507 and I-5 in south Pierce County. The study will also look at the need for additional connectivity in the area between SR 162, south of Military Road East, and north of Orting and SR 161.
The study will define transportation patterns and issues, including east-west travel needs, while advancing viable strategies. Multimodal strategies, such as Complete Streets, will be identified to help increase safety performance, connectivity, access and mobility for all people.
Study progress
Since fall 2022, the study team has analyzed both existing and future conditions of the study area and defined a range of draft improvement strategies. This analysis has been enhanced by community input and the work of two advisory committees.
These strategies are intended to improve multimodal transportation system performance, safety performance, improve county or city network capacity and connectivity, and improve north-south mobility on state highways within the study area. The strategies also consider freight access and mobility, resiliency, environment and climate change concerns, and health and mobility disparities of the area.
WSDOT is using the following themes to categorize potential investments in the study area: TSMO and Safety, County Capacity and Connectivity, and State Route Capacity.
Transportation System Management and Operation (TSMO) and Safety Focus. This theme focuses on solutions that maximize system efficiency, enhance safety, promote sustainable travel modes and reduce emissions. Safety is a strong component of this theme.
- Examples of potential strategies include access management, transit priority treatments, intersection improvements, improving transit facilities and more. It also includes multimodal safety improvements along roads, intersections and crossings and other active treatments.
County Capacity and Connectivity Focus. This theme focuses on multimodal strategies that add or improve the county or city network capacity within the study area. This theme has a focus on east-west connectivity.
- Examples of potential strategies include new roadway connections, lane additions and transit and active transportation facilities.
State Route Capacity Focus. This theme focuses on multimodal strategies that add or improve state highway capacity within the study area. This theme has a focus on improving north-south mobility on state highways.
- Examples of potential strategies include lane additions (general purpose, HOV, transit) and transit and active transportation facilities.
These themes are intended to be bold strategic visions for different ways we can invest in transportation in south Pierce County. The final strategic vision that comes out of this study will be a mix of strategies from these three themes.
Community engagement
As part of the study, WSDOT hosted an online open house and community questionnaire to make the public aware of the study and collect input to inform the recommended strategies that will result from this study. Between Dec. 1 and 16, 2022, 5,356 individuals visited the online open house and 1,574 people completed the questionnaire. From these community suggestions, several priorities, challenges, and possible solutions have emerged.
We invite you to read the online open house and questionnaire report, which provides a summary of the community input. Please note that this questionnaire is not considered a scientific or statistically significant poll.
Next steps
We continue to meet with our Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) to engage them in shaping the strategic direction of the study.
In June 2023, the study team will share the preliminary study findings and conclusions with the community.
In summer 2023, WSDOT will document the study findings and conclusions in a final report to the legislature. This report will guide short, medium, and long-term funding and strategic multimodal improvement decisions for WSDOT, local jurisdictions and transit agencies moving forward.
$1,500,000 in state funding was approved during the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions for the South Pierce Multimodal Connectivity Study. There is no funding identified for design and construction.
The study is underway. A final study report will be available to the public in Summer of 2023.
