By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
The South Prairie Road expansion project is about to become very visible to area residents.
Signs went up on state Route 410 last week warning drivers an alternate route may be needed while Tacoma-based Woodworth and Company construction crews complete the project.
Bonney Lake Public Works Director Dan Grigsby said construction will begin Monday.
“We're just suggesting an alternate route,” Grigsby said. “We're not forcing it. There will be quite a bit of construction equipment out there, but I don't believe they will rip up the old pavement until the new lanes are built.”
The work involves expanding the South Prairie Road to five lanes, two lanes in each direction with a center turn lane from state Route 410 and tapering back down to two lanes at 202nd Avenue East.
There will be a right turn off state Route 410 and another off South Prairie Road onto 200th Court East. The intersection of 200th Court East and South Prairie Road will be designed to allow a legal U-turn and 200th will be expanded to five lanes from 100th Street Court East to the South Prairie Road intersection.
The project has been on the drawing board for 12 years. After Bonney Lake High School opened and with increased development of the south Plateau region, the expansion project became a priority.
The project began in August with tree removal, clearing and earthwork and a rock wall built on 200th Avenue East and South Prairie Road.
A 120-day period followed the August work allowing the utility companies to complete their work prior to the actual expansion of the road.
The city hopes to have the project completed by July or August prior to the start of school in September.
The $2 million project cost was paid by the Cascadia Corporation as part of a traffic mitigation agreement for their housing development in the south Plateau region.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.
