Date:  Monday, June 18, 2007

Contact: Bart Gernhart, Southwest Region Engineer, (360) 905-2012
Alissa Bateman, WSDOT Communications, (360) 905-2078

BATTLE GROUND – After looking at several options to create a wider, safer State Route 502 from I-5 to Battle Ground, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has made the decision to widen on the existing corridor.

WSDOT had been looking at several widening options, including moving the highway to the north or south of the existing alignment. Over the past six months, WSDOT held four open houses and attended meetings with businesses and community members, while beginning to explore the various options to build a wider state route. “This project is a very large investment,” said Region Engineer Bart Gernhart. “Making sure we looked at all possible options, and including the public while doing so, was very important to the project team,” he added.

Recently, the on-corridor alternative was refined to have fewer residential and business displacements. While wetlands, homes, and businesses will still be affected, there are fewer impacts than anticipated in the original on-corridor alternatives. Safety continues to be a primary concern in the project design; therefore, the design will include median barriers to separate the highway.

To further improve safety the state will purchase access control, which means the state will reimburse property owners for limiting the access to their parcel. Access control restricts the use of a driveway, or access to the highway, to the current zoning.

Public involvement, including meetings with business owners, was critical in the decision making process. Through this process, business owners identified additional criteria – such as looking at the number of businesses, not just the number of buildings they occupy. Business owners stated that options that bypassed Dollar’s Corner had a far more negative impact on businesses than widening the existing highway.

Off-corridor options presented potentially greater negative environmental impacts. The off-corridor options posed risks of substantial wetland, streams, plant and animal species impacts. After researching these options, the risks were greater than previously thought.

This project will improve safety and ease congestion along the SR 502, from I-5 to Battle Ground, by adding two additional lanes and by controlling access onto and off of the highway. The project is scheduled to go to construction in 2012.

Find more project information at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR502/Widening or call the project office at 1-866-279-0730. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to swGorge@wsdot.wa.gov. 

                                                ###

< Back to News Home