It’s exciting news that the transportation package will extend Highway 167 from Puyallup to the Port of Tacoma.  But, I get concerned whenever I hear words to the effect of “it will be finally finished.”  Building that stretch will solve many traffic problems for the Port and Puyallup, but we also need to make sure that it will notcreate more problems in Sumner.

Already the stretch of Highway 167 through Sumner is a parking lot for hours every weekday and now sometimes even on weekends.  There’s simply more cars than road on this stretch with only two lanes in each direction.  The new extension for Highway 167is described as “a critical missing link in the state’s highway system, the SR 167 completion project will provide increased accessibility and mobility and significantly benefit the Port of Tacoma and regional businesses.”

The above quote is correct, yet at the same time, increasing accessibility and inviting MORE vehicles to use 167 without doing anything to the existing gridlock in Sumner willlikely only make matters worse.  I’m not sure that it’s in our best interest to invest billions on an extension when every vehicle will remain stuck in Sumner.

I’m happy this forward progress is being made for our transportation system.  But the work is not done.  This project needs to include an added third “HOT” lane each way through Sumner.  Currently, all plans have the third lane extending only to 8th Street on our northern border.  I have been told that any further progress south is notplanned at this time which means it really isn’t “finished” and there is still work to do. I’m not sure who else wants to talk about the third lane through this stretch, but perhaps this will help start the conversation.  Maybe?