Lowe's likes triple turn, city wants frontage road
Published 10:37 am Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
The Lowe's home improvement store plan is moving forward with two traffic plans still in play.
Jeff Oliphant, the project's developer, has submitted a plan calling for an entrance into Lowe's from South Prairie Road between the intersection of state Route 410 and 200th Avenue and another entrance on 200th Avenue Court East.
The plan also proposes adding a third left-turn lane onto South Prairie Road coming up to the intersection of SR 410. This plan will also allow a left turn onto South Prairie Road out of Lowe's except during peak traffic hours of 4 to 6:30 p.m.
The triple turn will mean the developer must expand SR 410 from the intersection to about 192nd Avenue East or possibly farther.
According to Public Works Director Dan Grigsby, the three-lane turn and the widening of SR 410 have been approved by Pierce County and the state Department of Transportation.
The city is in the process of reviewing public comments concerning the plan and the period to appeal the plan is open for about one more week.
Mayor Neil Johnson said he is continuing to work on a deal that will include a frontage road between The Market at Lake Tapps shopping center where Office Depot and Wal-Mart are located and the Lowe's site.
“It's still alive,” Johnson said. “We've met with all the parties and we are putting people in contact.”
Johnson said he hopes to have both the triple turn lane plan and the frontage road.
“The key is how it all lays out,” Johnson said. “There are a lot of details to work out, but the frontage road is the key for us.”
Johnson said he thought the council would look at lowering impact fees or other incentives to encourage the developer to consider the frontage road.
“We want the developer to do the majority of it,” Johnson said. “But we can offer some incentive.”
Oliphant reported about two weeks ago that the plan is to begin construction in June or July with the project taking about 15 months to complete.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.
