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Category Archives: Safety
The Traffic Mess – 122nd St E. & Shaw Rd. E.
Currently new roads are being approved or updated without looking first at what the end result of those projects will be. Three good examples come readily to mind.
- Shaw Rd. E. on Puyallup’s South hill was closed for many months, which forced traffic to find alternate routes to areas south of Puyallup. Traffic increased on Military Rd./122nd E. as a result, and when Shaw Rd. E. reopened it was with a series of planters down the middle and an extra wide sidewalk on the east side. Effectively it is still a two-lane road, which now will be more costly to widen because of the useless planters and wide sidewalk.
- A new road has been approved from the huge Tehaleh subdivision to SR162 in the valley. This will route more vehicles up Military Rd. E./122nd E.
- A new 120-unit subdivision is being constructed on the corner of Shaw Rd. E. and 122nd E. The planners stated that it would put almost 1000 new trips per day on 122nd St. E. yet would “have no significant impact on traffic in the area”.
In all three cases the result has been/will be greatly increased traffic on 122nd St. E. with vehicles trying to get to South Meridian and/or points south. Already Military Rd. E. is a virtual parking lot at certain times of the day.
I live east of Shaw Rd. E. and must take 122nd St. E. to access the main part of South Hill unless I want to go down into the valley and take SR 162 in a very circuitous route. As you know the traffic on 122nd St. E. has increased several fold over what it was as little as seven years ago. I no longer take Military Rd. E. to the intersection of 122nd St. E. and Military Rd. E. when I am going down into the valley as I feel it has become too dangerous to do so. A couple of years ago I was entering 122nd St. E. from Military Rd. E. traveling towards Shaw Rd. E. and had accelerated so that I was a hundred yards or so on 122nd St. E. I was overtaken by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed which swerved into the oncoming lane to pass me and then swerved back to miss the oncoming vehicles. Fortunately, this is not a common occurrence, but I remember it many times when I go onto 122nd St. E.
Now we have another potentially serious problem at the corner of Shaw Rd. E. and 122nd St. E. where a housing project with 120 dwellings is being built. I understand that homes 300ft. from the project were notified of it and a yellow sign was posted along Shaw Rd. E. at some time. Since there is no place to pull off and read the sign it was not very informative. Therefore, the project was kept pretty quiet. I understand that it is estimated that the project will generate almost 1000 trips a day, and this was deemed as insignificant. So insignificant that a dedicated turn lane was not even required. When the road from Tehaleh is pushed through and traffic uses 122nd St. E. to access South Hill, South Meridian and all the subdivisions to the south, things will become truly horrible.
It seems to me that Pierce County is going at things backward. They have known for a long time that their plans will funnel traffic through 122nd St. E., turning a sleepy secondary road into a nightmare for residents who live along it. Especially since some homes have driveways which meet 122nd St. E. directly. Would not it have made more sense to first connect 122nd St. E. to S. Meridian even if you had to exercise Imminent Domaine to do so and widen the existing 122nd St. E. to accommodate the increased traffic that other road projects will bring? Or perhaps extend 128th St. E. so that it meets 128th St. E. on the top of South Hill. Instead, Pierce County has chosen to create a problem by not looking at the consequences of their actions and doing things backward. When Pierce County closed Shaw Rd. E. for a long project, people discovered that they could go from the valley and up Military Rd. E./122nd St. E. to bypass the construction on Shaw Rd. E. This greatly increased the traffic on Military Rd. E./122nd St. E., and it remains increased to this day. The plan to drive a new road into the valley from Tehaleh will surely increase the traffic up Military Rd. E./122nd St. E. many fold.
It is past time for Pierce County to be proactive in its road planning and to look at the problems new roads will produce. Then they can start at the correct place to alleviate potential problems the increase in traffic will cause.
Puyallup Announces Shaw Road Open House
Wayne Reibold wanted this posted. Sounds like Puyallup may be ready to listen to the people who actually use the roads.
Please Check out this link.
Puyallup Announces Shaw Road Open House | Puyallup, WA Patch
https://patch.com/washington/puyallup/puyallup-announces-shaw-road-open-house
Stolen Mail – Packages & Voting Ballots
I received the information below from one of our neighbors. Stolen mail is a chronic problem these days.
I found both my mailbox and the neighbor’s open last Sunday morning after forgetting to get my mail on Saturday evening (10/16). A package was likely stolen as Amazon stated it was delivered but we didn’t receive it. We reported it with the USPS. I just recognized this evening that Val and I didn’t receive our voting ballots for the upcoming election. After looking it up, I find they were sent out on Friday 10/15 (the day before). Now I suspect that maybe someone was collecting ballots for nefarious reasons.
I thought I might inform you as this might have happened to others in the neighborhood and folks might not recognize the didn’t get their ballot until it was too late to vote. I sent an email to the Pierce County election office for guidance and then navigated to the https://voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.aspx site to check my voting status. I was able to have a new ballot mailed to me from that site (in the location where you view your voting status). Hopefully I will have more information by tomorrow (Friday). I’ll let you know if I receive more information.
Junk Lot on 136th Ave. East
A message from the Sunrise Terrace Homeowners Group
Dear Sunrise Terrace and Shawnee Homeowners,
We hope you can help us out this week by sending a brief email or phone call to Jason Arbogast at Pierce County Code Enforcement. His phone number is 253-798-8582 and his email is jason.arborgast@piercecountywa.gov
The issue is the former caretaker’s lot, Parcel # 0419122068, 11715 136th Ave E. The lot is now filled with junk cars, 2 RV’s, miscellaneous tent-like structures and garbage. For reference in your email, Code enforcement case numbers are 71874 and 71875. Jason Arbogast was assigned the case when these issues were first reported to Pierce County Code Enforcement in January 2021. If you want to read more details check out the Pierce County Code Enforcement website, https://www.piercecountywa.gov/1571/Code-Enforcement
Scroll down to case search and enter number 71874 to see the status.
What’s changed since January is the addition of a 2nd RV on Oct. 1 which is now occupied (lights on at night), additional inoperable and damaged vehicles and more accumulation of solid waste and garbage. In case you missed it we had an erratic driver on 136th Ave E the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 21. The driver knocked over a “stop sign warning” sign, hit a tree, drove off the east side of 136th Ave over a rhododendron and straight into the gate code security post on the driveway next to 11715 136th Ave. From what has been seen on the cameras a car similar to that of the erratic driver may now be parked inside the fence on the “junk” lot.
In January, 2021 the case was closed because the property owner said he would get rid of a vehicle and hire someone to cut down the vegetation but that has not happen. The case was reopened on Monday, October 11. If many of us express our concern regarding the code violations we hope the Code Enforcement team will come visit, re-examine the situation and not close the case until it is resolved. If you have had a personal encounter or issue with the lot occupants that would also be beneficial information for Jason to know.
Thanks in advance for doing what you can to help.
The Good News & The Bad News about 122nd St. E. & Shaw Rd.
Everyone has seen the work going on at the corner of 122nd St. E. and Shaw Rd. Most have wondered as I have about just what was happening as there were no signs that I remember seeing posted to tell about the project. Well, Carol Silvernail has done some digging and has a few facts about the project to share with us.
First the Good News: There is none.
Second the Bad News: In Carol’s words.
Sunrise Terrace has seen the work currently going on at the corner of 122nd and Shaw Road. Many of you have wondered what was happening as we did not see any signs posted to tell us about the project. Carol Silvernail and Kirk Hall dug into the Pierce County website this weekend for information. If you want to read about the project look up documents for parcel number 0419114042. Click on external links to see the correspondence and permit numbers, starting in 2018. The most recent permit number appears to be 911959. While we didn’t receive notification apparently according to the County web site a yellow sign was posted on Shaw Road in July 2019 and neighbors in the immediate adjacent lots were notified. Since we didn’t know about the project however there were no public comments on record.
The permit has been approved for 20 single family units on the west end of the plot and 100 attached townhouses within the 6.08 net developable acres. In a hearing examiner’s report dated 11/05/2020 it was stated the homes would be priced “fee simple for entry level purchasers” with a total of 372 parking stalls and 952 average new daily trips. The report also stated traffic will be of “no significant adverse impact on local roads” and no left turn lane into the development is necessary. The main entrance will be across from the Shell station on 122nd and an emergency entrance will be on Shaw Road. The name of the development is Shaw Heights.
At this point there’s probably not much we can do to express our concern about the high density and impact on traffic but the name that appears as the county contact is Associate Planner Donna Rhea. Her email is donna.rhea@piercecountywa.gov and her phone number is 253-798-3288. Mitch Brells and Paul Barber, from the Pierce County Engineering Dept, have also reviewed the project. Mitch and Paul know our neighborhood well from past issues.
Kirk’s commentary: Well Pierce County has done it again. First, they shut down Shaw Rd for months and ended up with a section of road with a large planter box down the middle and a double wide sidewalk on the east side, effectively blocking expansion of the road to another lane without major expense, leaving us with essentially the same two-lane road we had before. Then because Shaw was closed for so long people sought another way to get to South Hill, and found it in 122nd, which greatly increased traffic up 122nd. Pierce County has made no provisions for the increased traffic which causes real problems at certain times of the day.
Second, Pierce County has approved a road from the huge subdivision of Tehaleh to go straight down into the valley, where many of the vehicles will then go up 122nd. Because no provisions have been made to find an alternate route (perhaps extending 128th St. into the valley) or widen and control traffic on 122nd St. things are going to get much worse for the people who live along or must enter 122nd St. E., when this project is completed.
And this brings me to the Third point. 952 average trips daily (does that mean that we must double that number to 1,904 to get the number of cars on the road because to me a trip is one in and one out) will be put on the road daily at a place where there is already congestion. To me this doesn’t seem like “no adverse impact on local roads”, especially considering the already bad traffic situation.
I have to wonder what Pierce County is thinking. To me the logical steps would have been to start at Meridian and connect either 120th St or 122nd St as directly as possible to Meridian as these streets have short sections that could be completed for the connection. The roads (and all of 122nd) would have to be widened to at least three lanes and appropriate traffic lights installed. Then we could talk about putting more traffic on 122nd. The way it is now traffic will eventually become truly horrible, then years later County will recognize the problem and finally do something about it (hopefully before the year 2051).
A roundabout is headed for state Route 162 in East Pierce County, like it or not
Wayne Reibold and Jeff Sparks both asked that we let the Neighborhood know what was going on with State Route 162 and the roundabouts proposed. To read about what is happening go to: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/puyallup-herald/ph-news/article248066285.html
New Traffic Study
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
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.
Increasing Traffic on 122nd St East – Its Going to get WORSE – Much WORSE
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