The following is written by Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow:

The Legislature went back into session this week, and topping Sumner’s list is the need to get the ball rolling on funding for the SR 410 interchange with Sumner’s Traffic Avenue/Puyallup’s East Main.

The challenge is that this is our “hidden” problem. We know there is a problem, but those outside the area don’t. Unlike freeways, the news stations don’t report the daily congestion radiating out from this outdated and undersized interchange.  They don’t tell anyone that people coming off South Hill are backed up all the way from Shaw Road.

They don’t tell anyone that evening congestion radiates back onto Fryar Avenue and even over the bridge onto Valley Avenue past the Cannery.  Or that frustrated commuters who want to get off the freeway are watching their train go by from the backup.

Sometimes, I hear people complain and try to vote one user off the island. Locals blame commuters while commuters blame trucks, cut-through traffic, or few options. The truth is that we all need the interchange, and in fact, we all need each other.

If we’re going to successfully fund a replacement, we have to make the region aware of how the congestion so negatively impacts mobility, commuters and general transportation all at the same time.

It’s that very mix of impacts that makes this interchange a more likely candidate for replacement. To top it off, fixing this interchange is key to parking solutions for Sound Transit in Sumner and removing cars from overcrowded freeways.

Please share your stories, your frustration and your concerns.Tell us if you can’t get your products through for your business. Tell us if you’ve sat in traffic unable to get to work, orwatched your train go sailing by.  Tell us if you live in the area and can’t easily access your house for hours out of every day. Either email us or tweet and tag #SumTraffic.

Together, we’ll let the region–and legislators–know why fixing this interchange is important to region and the State.