Traffic is even tougher than usual this week through Bonney Lake as the construction continues on the Sumner-Buckley Highway.

According to Public Works Director Dan Grigsby, the majority of the project should be completed by next week, but is contingent on weather. With storms scheduled to move in over the weekend, the construction work could stretch longer.

“We’re going to complete it as quickly as we can, dependent on weather,” Grigsby said.

The road construction is a combination of several projects. Originally, work to the Sumner-Buckley Highway/state Route 410 intersection was part of the mitigation for the Cascadia project, which would funnel traffic through Bonney Lake.

Mitigation measures call for the addition of a second left turn lane on eastbound SR410 and a dedicated right turn lane onto westbound SR410. While that project has been put on hold for the time being due to funding issues, crews are completing the work to Sumner-Buckley Highway to allow for those additional lanes to be constructed later.

“It was better to do it in phases to reduce construction impact on drivers,” Grigsby said.

In addition, improvements to the road and the intersection at Main Street (formerly 184th Avenue east), including the installation of a traffic light and the widening of the road to five lanes. Sidewalks, curbs and gutters have also been installed.

The light is expected to be operational by April 15. Work on that phase of the project is being funded by traffic impact fees collected since 2003.

Main street is also being widened and repaved and utilities have been moved underground for the downtown core.

In addition, a curb will be installed in the center of Sumner-Buckley Highway near the intersection with SR410, making 182nd Avenue East a right-in/right-out only.

“The last phase is to reconstruct the roadway surface,” Grigsby said.

Crews are grinding the top layer of asphalt along Sumner-Buckley Highway and replacing the road surface.

The total cost of the road work is $2.1 million.

Phase III of the project will include work on 90th Street, punching that road through to 186th Avenue east to allow access to the library from both directions.

A ribbon cutting on the completed project is tentatively scheduled for the week of April 19.