WSDOT study marches on

By Chris Fitzgerald, KP News

On Dec. 6, the second in a series of Washington State Department of Transportation open houses came to the KP Civic Center. The goals of this event were to share with residents the results of the newest State Route 302 corridor initial component study. Many of the same people who attended the first open house in September were present again, strolling among the four stations WSDOT project personnel had available for audience perusal.

Residents write down their comments and speak with WSDOT staff at the December SR-302 open house.  Photo by Chris Fitzgerald

Displays included a series of maps showing more than 10 alternate route solutions for the beleaguered highway, extending from the Purdy Spit to the Mason County line at Rocky Bay. At least two WSDOT employees engaged citizens at each display; once again easels holding large tablets of newsprint onto which “suggestions” could be written accompanied each of the four areas. One station played two “drive-time a.m./p.m.” video loops of simulated traffic from SR-302 on the KP to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, reflecting WSDOT’s interpretation of traffic flows in 2007 and 2030. At this station, the two WSDOT employees seemed disengaged with citizens. Responding to a KP News question regarding the empty tablets, despite citizens engaged in conversation at the station, one of the employees said, “We already have these suggestions.” At other stations, emboldened residents frequently wrote their own comments on the pads.

Gerald Marsh, a 35-year resident on the KP, was one of those citizens whose suggestions went unrecorded. In an impromptu KP News interview, he said, “They (WSDOT employees) don’t live here; they spend all the money on surveys and studies — we want to see action.” He counted off several areas of major concern, pointing to them on the map as WSDOT personnel stood by: lighted intersections needed at Goldman, from Creviston to 118^th, and 123^rd Street. “If there’s no money for a new corridor, let’s fix what’s here and improve the safety aspect,” he said.

KP Fire District 16 Division Chief Chuck West weighed in on intersection safety at a later KP News interview. He has been exploring potential funding sources with state Sen. Derek Kilmer and Rep. Larry Seaquist. He noted that previous efforts at road safety improvements orchestrated by Pierce County Councilman Terry Lee have gone unfunded. West raised a sore communitywide issue, sayin“$3.5 million in taxes were collected in 2007 on the KP; only $1 million was spent here on roads – and that in maintenance only – not improvements.” “There’s enough money going off the Key Peninsula in taxes that we should be able to get some of it back. It’s a safety issue,” he said. 

A shift in WSDOT personnel some months ago transferred SR-302 project manager responsibilities to John Donohue, who reports to Vicki Stegner, previously project manager at inception early in 2007. In January, WSDOT begins the federal environmental impact statement process. Stegner said this lengthy (and costly) segment involves committee work over a three-year period, and opportunities for citizen participation.

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