All posts by Kirk Hall

Road Closure – 122nd St. E.

Neighborhood Events

There appears to be a road closure in the near future which will affect our Neighborhood.  There are signs on 122nd St. E. which advise of a coming closure in August.  It appears that the projected closure time is 2 August to 6 November.

From what I can tell the area of closure on 122nd St. E. will extend from Shaw Rd., west along 122nd St. E. to 122nd Ave. E., a distance of 1920 ft.

If anyone knows more they are welcome to comment on this article.  Just remember to e-mail me at kahalljr@comcast.net if you make a comment so that I can approve it so it can be seen.

Security Cameras vs Home Invaders

Neighborhood Security

I came across this article from Pennsylvania about an incident which happened there on 18 May 2021 and thought it was important enough to share with our Neighborhood. The main point I wish to get across is the fact that the police have a good chance of rounding up all of the people who took part in this Home Invasion.  The homeowner who was the target of the Home Invasion had Security Cameras, which recorded the images of the invaders.  Additionally, many of the man’s neighbors also have Security Cameras and the police were able to obtain further recordings of the invaders, presumably they also recorded the vehicle used by the invaders. With the ever-expanding population in our area and the heavy load on undermanned area law enforcement departments it is essential that we take steps to safeguard our lives, property, and community. One thing all of us can do is invest in Security Cameras for our homes.

Video Cameras at Work

Recent Crime In Our Neighborhood

Neighborhood Security

We received the note below from the Dysons.  It is disturbing.  Please pay attention to people coming into our Neighborhood.  Crime is going up and we must do all we can to combat it.

I need to urgently communicate two security issues for all neighbors.

First, two young males knocked on our door the night before last on Tuesday the 15th. They told me they were pest inspectors and wanted to look around my house. They gave me the names of neighbors who were having their homes inspected. Instinct told me they were lying and I asked them to leave immediately. They would not accept my request. They insisted they needed to look around my property for pests. I had to close the door as I had safety concerns at that point. When I shut the door, I was very nervous they might come back and harm my family or our property.

This evening I went out to start our motor home before leaving on a trip tomorrow and the engine sounded really strange. My husband looked under the motor home and said the catalytic converter had been cut out and damage was done under the vehicle.

I want to alert the neighborhood not only about this theft but also these two young men. They were unwilling to accept my “no” and I was nervous they might come back to harm us or harm our property in some way. My instincts were right. We have notified law enforcement and more than the theft, the safety of people is my main concern.

Second, our family has been threatened and security has become an issue for us with the loss of our son Cooper Dyson who was the young Pierce County Sheriff Deputy who died in the line of duty last year. Please alert the neighbors if they see any suspicious anti-law enforcement threatening behavior to let us know immediately.

Casey Dyson 253-307-8810

New Urgent Information on SR162 Roundabouts

Neighborhood Events

It seems that the Tacoma News Tribune did not give us the entire picture in their article which was referenced in the previous post.  Below is a communication from Maxine Herbert-Hill of the SR162traffic.org committee.  Could the readers of this Blog please pass the informaion along to their friends and neighbors who do not read this Blog?  It is vital that we get at least 100 more signatures on the petition. Go to https://www.sr162traffic.org/ and sign the petition.

I wanted to let you know that the article in the paper and in the online version are untrue.  We have not lost the battle. It wages on with this legislative session.  As you know we are collecting signatures on our petition that the legislators asked for so they can leverage their conversation with others.  The legislators agree with us and will be working to get a new environmental review required for this roundabout.  Pierce County has given their lobbyist a directive to work toward that goal as well.  So with the legislators and Pierce County working with us, this is anything but dead!  I am disappointed in the paper and the reporter that we were not accurately represented even though I sent her documentation on what WSDOT is using to make this roundabout decision and how erroneous it is.  She did not look at anything I provided that would challenge WSDOT.  She just printed everything they said.  It’s what they didn’t say that proves it wrong.  They say only half truths.  The whole truth would reveal how wrong it is.

So if you would please pass on to your Sunrise Terrace folks that this is NOT a lost cause, it is not a done deal.  Only WSDOT thinks so, and they want the rest of the world to think so so they won’t be challenged on it.   We need all the signatures we can get, so if you know anyone who has not signed it, please encourage them to sign it right away.  We only have one more week and we need about 100 more signatures.

Maxine Herbert-Hill  SR162traffic.org committee

New Traffic Study

Public Service Announcements, Safety

Below is some information from a County Traffic Planner about the traffic study which was just started.  If more information becomes available we will let you know.

Dan Cardwell, Long Range Planning Supervisor, referred to me your question regarding the presence of traffic counters in your neighborhood.  I passed on your inquiry to our traffic engineering group.  They indicated that they are now collecting field data to assess and evaluate an community member’s concern at the intersection of 136th Ave E and Military Rd E.  Scott Moeller, ( scott.moeller@piercecountywa.gov ) ,  Civil Engineer, of the Traffic Section staff is the point of contact for this project.  Based on the timeline of 4 to 6 weeks for this investigation, you may want to contact Scott at the end of December or beginning of January to check the status of this assessment.  I am copying Scott on this email for your reference and to make him aware of your possible interest in this issue.

 

More Future Traffic Problems

Public Service Announcements, Safety

Wayne Reibold has alerted us to another future traffic problem at the bottom of Shaw Road. The City of Puyallup is looking at a huge expansion of warehouse space in what was formally Knutson Farms, between East Pioneer and East Maine. This will adversely impact the traffic entering and leaving Shaw Rd. at East Pioneer or East Maine.

Please go to the link below and check it out.  This is just another example  of the failure to have a realistic traffic plan for this area, and we the residents are the ones who will suffer for the lack of foresight.

http://www.cityofpuyallup.org/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1020 

Increasing Traffic on 122nd St East – Its Going to get WORSE – Much WORSE

Neighborhood Activity, Neighborhood Security, Public Service Announcements, Safety

Below is a note that one of our neighbors in the Shawnee Ridge development is sending to the people of Shawnee Ridge.  I think it contains some good information about concerns all of us should have. Exiting from any area on to 122nd St E has gotten much more difficult over the last two years, and it is going to get worse, much worse. Unless we act now we are going to find ourselves with long waits to get out of our areas/driveways, followed by a mad dash hoping not to be smashed by approaching vehicles.

I know the situation is dangerous as it is now.  One day I stopped at Military Rd. E. and 122nd St. E., checked for traffic and pulled out smartly on to 122nd St. E. going west. I had gone only 30 to 40 yards on 122nd when a vehicle whizzed by on my left, cut in front of me and sped away.  I have no idea how fast he was going, but am glad he missed me and the oncoming traffic.

“Signatures needed on Petition at SR162traffic.com.” 

“if you are concerned about privacy please note that you only need to fill in the starred boxes at SR162traffic.com petition to register your concern.  The more signatures we can get the better we hope it will be for traffic in our neighborhood.”

Neighborhood HOA

I live in the Shawnee Ridge HOA and have been involved in the SR162 Community Group for almost a year.  You may have seen our signs on SR162 advertising our Website, “SR162traffic.org”.  Our main focus right now is to try and stop Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) from building a roundabout at SR162 and 128th street.  You can go to our Website to learn more but let me explain briefly how a roundabout at 128th street impacts your homeowners. 

Tehaleh is the largest development in Washington State.  Close to 10,000 homes are expected to be built in this development at completion.  For the month of October Tehaleh sold an average of 12 homes a week.  In order for the builder to continue to keep building these homes the county is requiring them to build a four lane road from their development down to 128th and SR162.  WSDOT has no plans to expand SR162 to handle this additional traffic which is expected to increase SR162 traffic by 150%. 

This has a direct impact to traffic on Military road and south hill.  Traffic wanting to go west are expected to use Military road to get off the gridlock of SR162.  When the new road to Tehaleh opens up, the traffic on military is expected to increase 135% to 150%.   In addition, if the roundabout is allowed to be installed at 128th, the next roundabout is planned for SR162 and Military road.  A total of 11 roundabouts are planned between Orting and SR410.  Once the Military roundabout is installed there will be few breaks in traffic that will allow you to get onto Military Road/122nd St. E.

This is the primary reason I am involved with the SR162 Group.  We need traffic signals on SR162 to provide breaks in traffic.  We will also need traffic signals on Military Road so we can get out of our neighborhoods safely. 

We have been discussing improvements for the Military Road corridor with the county transportation division that would help with the safety issues but they are years away. 

We are asking that you would join us in stopping these roundabouts by communicating the information provided here to your residents so that they all know about this future traffic mess.   We also have a petition on our website SR162traffic.org that we are asking everyone to sign that requests the state to do required reviews that would look at the traffic impacts of a roundabout.  This petition will be provided to our legislators in Olympia who we are already talking to, to get them to demand traffic signals instead of roundabouts on SR162.

SR162 Community Group

Elvin Lerew email etlerew@hotmail.com

BMX Bike thefts

Neighborhood Security, Public Service Announcements

There have been a rash of BMX bicycle thefts recently.  One appears to have been 0.1 miles from my home, but in an area our Neighborhood Cameras do not cover.  The owner of this BMX stated that his “Ring” camera did not catch the theft.  This is not surprising  as the original “Ring” cameras were meant strictly as entry way cameras.  Another was stolen from the 7-11 at the corner of Meridian and 128th.  Its picture is the bike at the forefront in the 2nd picture.

I am posting pictures of these bikes as a public service with the hopes that they will be recovered.  The owners were told to check “Offer Up”,  “Craig’s List”, and other sites in the hopes that they will show up there.  At least one of the owners of the bikes shown below have filed a police report, which will make it easy to recover the bikes if they show up on any of the selling sites.

BMX Stolen at 7-11 on Meridian and 128thStolen BMX bicycle

Emergency Request For Comments

Public Service Announcements

Elvin Lerew one of our neighbors in Shawnee Ridge has sent me some material about the Miles Sand and Gravel Mine on the east side of the valley.  As you know the operation has been expanding steadily over the past several years, and a new large product pile has appeared on the crest of the hill around 3000ft south of the original mining operation.

Now Miles Sand and Gravel has asked for an amendment to Conditional Use Permit CP11-08, Fennel Resources,  Application number: 939160 and 940194.  If granted, these changes will change the view we enjoy toward Mt. Rainier for the next 20 to 30 years or longer.

Please write to express your views of this unwarranted change to the original permit.  Below are copies of the  amendment application and Elvin’s letter.  There is a very short deadline.  Comments must be in by close of business on 9 September 2020. Please send comments (citing  Conditional Use Permit CP11-08, Fennel Resources,  Application number: 939160 and 940194) to:

 Pierce County Planning and Public Woks                                                                       Development Center                                                                                                                                   2401 South 35th Street, Room 2                                                                                                     Tacoma, Washington 98409

I apologize for the orientation of some of the documents but this was a rush job.

Tehaleh Road0001Tehaleh Road0002Pierce-County- Planning-and-Publics9