The city of Buckley moves ever-closer to its transportation improvement goal — roundabouts on State Route 410.
The Buckley City Council held a June 24 public hearing on its annually-approved six-year Transportation Improvement Plan, a state-required document necessary for the city to receive much-needed grant funds. After the hearing, the council passed the plan.
The Transportation Improvement Plan, or TIP, is a list of street projects that cities and counties want to complete in the near future.
City Administrator Courtney Brunell described the plan as “ambitious,” although a lot of the content is similar to last year’s TIP. TIPs are not set in stone, and are often updated as the year goes on.
“That said, we’re using it as a foundation to build a more connected and safer transportation network, and each year we refine it based on funding realities and community priorities,” she continued. “Like last year, the TIP still functions as more of a strategic wish list… We’re continuing to aggressively pursue grants to advance our transportation goals.”
The plan lists some simple improvements like reconstructing Spruce Street or resurfacing Mt. View Avenue, but also some major changes, like eventually replacing five highway traffic lights with roundabouts.
These roundabouts are the end-goal of a 2018 Washington State Department of Transportation study on what short, middle, and long-term solutions can be put into place to mitigate and resolve the dreaded “Buckley Crawl” over the White River bridge.
According to the study, the amount of drivers going over the White River bridge during afternoon peak hours (3:30 to 5:30 p.m.) is expected to double, from 2,000 then to 4,000 in 2040. The expected wait time to cross the bridge would increase as well, from 20 minutes in 21018 to close to an hour by 2040.
The study examined eastbound driving wait time on May 22, 2018, and might not be completely representative of current traffic patterns.
These projects remain unfunded, but the city is moving through the pre-design and preliminary engineering, and the grant funding cycle is not halfway through yet, Brunell mentioned, so there’s still a chance to secure some funding.
The roundabouts are expected to be constructed at the Park Avenue Main Street, Mundy-Loss Road, and Hinkleman Extension intersections on SR 410, as well as the 112th and SR 165 intersection.
Other than the roundabouts, the city will be utilizing new Safe Streets for All grant funds to complete a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan to reduce serious injuries and fatalities caused by car crashes and tackle some pedestrian-focused projects to improve accessibility.
