WSDOT - SR 167, Tacoma to Edgewood New Freeway Construction - December 2008 Quarterly Project Report

SR 167 - Tacoma to Edgewood New Freeway Construction
*Quarterly Project Report Update for Quarter Ending December 2008*

Project Title & Location SR 167 Extension Stage 1 (SR 509 to I-5), Tacoma/Fife SR 167/I-5 to SR 161 Stage 2, Fife/Puyallup	Project Description Funds preliminary design engineering and selective right-of-way purchases on a project that will ultimately build a new four-lane freeway from the Port of Tacoma to I-5 and six lanes from I-5 to SR 161 in Puyallup. The latter section includes two general-purpose lanes and one HOV lane in each direction.
Contractor/Consultant Project not yet advertised or awarded.
Recent Progress The design team has published their August 2008 design and new design illustrations on the project Web site. The new design reduces impacts to commercial properties and the environment, and also greatly reduces the complexity of the I-5 interchange. The project cost estimate was updated based on the August 2008 design using the Cost Estimate Validation Process (CEVP), resulting in a decrease in project costs of over $200 million from the previous estimate in 2006. The project team continues to advance the design and purchase select property along the corridor. The project has now purchased nearly 90 properties totaling approximately 40% of the corridor.
Design Construction Impacts Detailed construction impacts will be analyzed later in the design process.
Environmental Impacts / Compliance The Tier II Final EIS includes plans to minimize or mitigate environmental impacts within the corridor’s footprint. Preliminary project engineering includes innovative environmental designs to manage stormwater, help protect area waters from pollution and improve stream habitat. The Endangered Species Act consultation was initiated by FHWA on Sept. 30, 2005 and completed on Sept. 17, 2007.	Impacts to Traffic This project will complete the regional highway plan by providing a freeway connection between I-5 in Fife and the existing SR 167 freeway terminus in Puyallup.

Project Milestones	Scheduled	Attained	Milestone Outlook
Start Project Design	September 2003	October 2003	Stages 1 and 2 have received design approval.
Begin Limited Right-of-Way Acquisition	October 2003	October 2003	Purchase of priority parcels continues as funding allows.
Environmental Documentation	December 2006	October 2007	The Final EIS was distributed in early December 2006. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service completed Biological Opinions in May and September 2007, respectively. The FHWA signed the ROD in October 2007.

Project Cost Summary:	Dollars in millions	Percent of Total	Planned vs. Actual Expenditures (Total Project Cost)
Preliminary Engineering	$33.72	21.1%
Right-of-Way	$126.35	78.9%
Construction	$ 0.0	0.0%
Funded Project Costs	$160.07	100.0%

Nickel funds included in above costs	$63.3	39.6%
2005 Transportation Partnership Account	$70.0	43.8%

For more information, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects

Steve Fuchs, Project Manager, (360) 570-6660