WSDOT - State Route 161: Project delivery over the last five years

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The SR 161 corridor starts south of Puyallup in an area of new residential and business development that has rapidly outgrown its former rural character. The southern part of the SR 161 corridor serves as a main connection for those living in Pierce County with work, shopping and recreation destinations. The SR 161 corridor north of Puyallup connects Pierce and King counties. A series of improvements are being made to address congestion and the movement of freight and goods throughout the corridor.

Major projects recently completed or under way on the SR 161 corridor represent an aggregate budget for construction of approximately $51.3 million. With work on the projects at various stages of completion, the current estimate of the total final cost of construction for these projects is $1.7 million or 2.9 percent under budget at $49.8 million.

Graham - Widened SR 161 to four lanes with a center two-way left-turn lane for 4.1 miles between 204th and 234th streets. In addition, a new traffic signal was installed at Eustis Hunt Road and an existing signal at 224th Street E. was modified for better efficiency. A new railroad crossing warning system for City of Tacoma Railroad was made operational on Aug. 10, 2005. The new lanes were opened to traffic in August 2005. Construction on this project is budgeted for $9.7 million. Work on this segment began May 2004 and was completed on time and on budget.

In another project, work to widen the two-mile section of SR 161 between 204th Street E. and 176th Street E began in April 2005. The project adds a new lane in each direction and a two-way left-turn lane to match the work done to the south, from 204th to 234th. Three new drainage ponds were built to collect and treat stormwater runoff. New traffic signal systems were added at 200th Street E., 189th Street E. and 187th Street E., and modifications were made to the 194th Street E. signal. Construction is on schedule for completion this fall. This project is on budget at $7.9 million.

South Hill - This project builds sidewalks, adds illumination, improves business accesses, and includes bus pullouts and mid-block pedestrian crossings along a 2.9 mile section of SR 161. Signals at 120th Street East and 176th Street East will be interconnected to help traffic flow. Roadside stormwater treatment and landscaping will also be added. Construction began in March 2005 and is expected to be completed on schedule by August 2006. The project’s estimated final construction cost of $7.8 million is on track with the budget.

Milton - Adding a new lane in each direction and a two-way left turn lane on a 2.1 mile section from Jovita Boulevard to South 360th Street/Milton Road South. Through residential sections, sidewalks and a raised median area with left-turn pockets will be added. Traffic signals are being modified at some intersections to help traffic flow. The project began in March 2005 and is scheduled for completion in January 2007 at a construction budget of $24.4 million.