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SR 900 will be widened from one to two lanes in both directions.

Project Facts

• We widened SR 900 north of Newport Way by adding a southbound general purpose lane, a southbound bus only lane, and a northbound HOV lane. View phase one construction photos of the SR 900 under crossing.
• The second phase of the project will widen SR 900 from Newport Way to SE 82nd Street.
• The newly widened section will feature a bike only lane and a raised sidewalk for increased pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

WSDOT will widen SR 900 from Newport way to the vicinity of SE 78th Street (SE 82nd Street and Talus Drive). This will continue the widening WSDOT already completed in December 2004 from I-90 to Newport Way.

Why is WSDOT widening Renton-Issaquah Road (SR 900) in Issaquah?
Issaquah is one of Washington's fastest growing cities and this rapid growth is evident in the increasing traffic congestion on SR 900. As the city continues to grow, it is crucial to expand and improve the roadway to maintain highway efficiency and safety.

The End Result
Widening this portion of SR 900 will reduce traffic congestion and increase safety by adding a general-purpose lane in each direction, a bike only lane and a raised sidewalk.

Completion of the second phase of widening will get rid of the choke point at Newport Way and extend the widened section of SR 900 to SE 82nd street. Traffic flow will improve through Issaquah to I-90.

The I-90 shoulders on the westbound off-ramp to SR 900 will also be widened.

Project Benefits
• Safety. Widening the roadway from one lane to two, and adding a bicycle lane and a raised pedestrian walkway will increase the safety of the roadway for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

•  Congestion relief.   About 36,000 vehicles travel on SR 900 just north of Gilman Boulevard, and the off-ramp from eastbound I-90 is one of the busiest in the state. Widening this section has provided some congestion relief for drivers through Issaquah until they reach Newport Way. 16,000 vehicles travel the soon-to-be-widened section from Newport Way to SE 82nd street. Continuing the widening of SR 900 to SE 82nd and synchronizing the signals will improve congestion and help traffic flow smoothly. 

•  Environment. This project includes measures to prevent flooding and improve fish habitat in Tibbetts Creek and Tibbetts Creek tributaries.

What is the project timeline?
Phase 1: Completed
July 2003: Widening and improvements began on SR 900 from I-90 to Newport Way.

December 2004: Construction on phase 1 was completed.

Phase 2: Construction begins this summer
Spring 2008: We selected Icon Construction to construct this project.
August 2008: Construction begins
December 2009: Construction complete

Public Involvement
Your thoughts and opinions are important to us. Please contact the project engineer, Dave Lindberg, at (425) 814-7104, or e-mail LindbeD@wsdot.wa.gov to provide input on these improvements.

Environmental Protection
During the first phase of widening WSDOT widened the banks of Tibbetts Creek within Lake Sammamish State Park to help prevent flooding. The stream enhancements are now in accordance with the Tibbetts Creek Greenway Project, a City of Issaquah plan to control flooding and improve fish habitat.

The upcoming widening project will include the creation of more wetland in partnership with the Lake Sammamish State Park. We will also replace several culverts in the project area to improve fish passage.
Please visit the WSDOT Environmental Services Web site for more information.

Increasing safety is one of our priorities
Expanding the capacity of SR 900 has improved traffic flow and reduced the risk of collisions. Continued widening past the home developments and businesses will reduce congestion by removing a bottleneck on the way to I-90. Adding turn lanes to businesses and parks and adding U-turns at Newport Way and Talus Drive will reduce the number of collisions and better separate traffic.

Will this project impact tribal resources?
The Snoqualmie, Muckleshoot, Yakama, and Tulalip tribes were consulted and a Cultural Resource Survey was conducted for this project. The SHPO (State Historic Preservation Officer) agreed with the findings in the report, which stated there would be no impacts to tribal resources.

To learn more about the tribal consultation process visit WSDOT's Tribal Liaison page.

Financial Information
The first phase of this project (completed in December 2004) was a collaborative effort by the Washington State Department of Transportation, the City of Issaquah, Sound Transit and King County. A large portion of funding for the first phase of the project came from Talus, a master-planned development that continues to grow just off SR 900.

The second phase of the project, the widening of SR 900 from Newport Way to SE 78th Street, is funded through the five cent gas tax increase approved by the 2003 Legislature.

This project is funded through the following sources:

Phase 1

• Existing Funds - $7.8 million
• Other Agency Funds - $11.6 million
  City of Issaquah, King County, Sound Transit, Developer Fees, Utilities
• Total Funding for Phase 1- $19.4 million

Phase 2

• 2003 Gas Tax (Nickel Funding) - $27.3 million
• Other Agency Funds - $6.5 million
  Utilities
• Total Funding Available For Phase 2 - $33.8 million
  
• Total Funding Available From All Sources for Both Phases - $53.2 million

How can I get more information?
Contact:
 
Dave Lindberg
WSDOT Project Engineer
12277 134th Court NE, Suite 200
REDMOND, WA 98052
Phone: (425) 814-7104
Email: lindbed@wsdot.wa.gov or

Meghan Soptich
WSDOT Communications
15700 Dayton Avenue N.
PO Box 330310
Seattle, WA  98133
Phone: (206) 440-4704
Email: sopticm@wsdot.wa.gov

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