Officials with the Washington State DOT (WSDOT), along with Gov. Jay Inslee and other local officials, this week marked the beginning of construction for the Puget Sound Gateway Program.
The multi-project Gateway Program includes the S.R. 167 completion in Pierce County as well as the S.R. 509 completion in King County. Both of these corridors will provide connections to the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, as well as to manufacturing and industrial centers that are key to the state's economic success.
“These two projects will help Washington State stay competitive in the global marketplace by providing critical ‘last mile’ connections between one of the nation’s largest distribution centers and the ports of Tacoma and Seattle,” Gov. Inslee said in a statement. “This is exactly the kind of smart investment we need to make to address our transportation priorities because it pays dividends that include thousands of new jobs, easier access to our ports for Washington State products, and more transportation choices.”
S.R. 167 serves as a primary highway connection between the Kent and Puyallup River valleys and the Seattle/Bellevue metropolitan area. WSDOT will build 4 miles of new highway to complete the missing link between S.R. 167 in Puyallup and I-5 in Fife. The S.R. 167 project also includes a new a 2-mile connection from I-5 to the Port of Tacoma.
Extending S.R. 509 will increase connectivity between Seattle and south King County, and also provide a much-needed north-south alternative to I-5. Additionally, the S.R. 509 extension will create a new southern access point to Sea-Tac International Airport and serve as an alternative to I-5, S.R. 99, and local streets.
The majority of Puget Sound Gateway Program funding comes from the 2015 Connecting Washington transportation revenue package. Additional funding will come from tolls, local contributions, and potential federal grants. Gateway Program construction is divided into two stages, with stage 1 projects to be constructed between 2020 and 2026, and stage 2 projects between 2024 and 2028.
------
SOURCE: Washington State DOT
