Dennis Box

The Courier-Herald

When will the road coming out of Target onto Sumner-Buckley Highway get finished?

The answer to one of the most asked questions around Bonney Lake got a nod towards sooner than later at the Bonney Lake City Council meeting Jan. 25.

The intersection has been blocked since Target opened in October.

The council passed a resolution authorizing a quick-claim deed transferring ownership of a sliver of land from T&S Properties L.L.C., a land and development company owned by the Corliss family, to the city.

The property transfer is the first step to the goal line which will include widening Sumner-Buckley Highway for a left-hand turn lane and a signal.

Pierce County required the transfer because some of the road work was north of the intersection's right-of-way. The county stated the city must have ownership and jurisdiction of all the land needed for the improvements.

"Normally a road belongs to a developer," said Ray Frey of Halsan Frey Real Estate Development. "In this case it was given to the city. This is a little different than how it is usually done. The county has requirements for how the intersection work is to be done. All the documents are in for review (with county officials.) I anticipate about one month for the permits."

Frey said once the permits are in hand, T&S Properties will complete the work in about three months.

Applebee's International Inc. is busy building a restaurant on the south corner of the property closest to state Route 410. The projected opening for the restaurant is March or April.

The city Planning Department had stipulated Applebee's could not open until the intersection was complete.

Officials noted the department would be willing to reassess the issue if Applebee's was finished and the intersection was moving towards completion.

Frey noted the delays in the completion of the project has to do with the number of parties involved.

"It's been complicated negotiation," Frey said. "We had to get the city and the county to agree and then draw up an interlocal agreement."

A study by the county did not call for a light at the intersection for five years, but T&S Properties has decided to put the light in while the intersection is being completed.

T&S will pay for the intersection work and the installation of the light, the city will maintain the road and the county will be responsible for the street light.

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.

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