Rhodes Lake Road Corridor South Plateau Connection Part of a Real Transportation Network

Rhodes Lake Road Corridor South Plateau Connection

PVPG 2007
South Plateau (East-West) Transportation Corridor
Proposal

Part of a Real Transportation Network

Location and Benefits

The original alignment for the South Plateau Connection was to Bridge Street in Orting. Then the County proposed an alignment to the south side of the city. Both of these were destined to failure. Currently, the alignment is north of the city in a location that was not possible at the time the other two options were considered.

Recently, the Engfer farm, which is inside the Orting city limits, was sold for development. As a working farm, no one even looked in that direction as a possible corridor for the South Plateau Connection. Now that it is going to be developed, it is a potential location and is an appropriate consideration. There are many things that make it so. (View Map of Proposal)

The area is going to be developed as a mixed urban development with apartment buildings, condominiums, single family houses and a business district. An urban road network will be part of this developed area.

The new South Plateau Road would need to cross the Carbon River and a location near the current treatment plant would have as low an impact on the river as possible. It would not introduce a significant new human impact because:

·        The environmental impact would be lower than planning a bridge in a location where no other existing human activity is established.

·        The river is narrow enough there to be able to build a clear span bridge.

In addition there are other advantages to the South Plateau Connection crossing the valley at this location:

The road could cross the valley to the south of the school and cross the Puyallup River at 159^th Street. Again, this is a good location because:

·        At one time in history a bridge did exist at this location, setting a precedence for a bridge at that location.

·        Again, the river is narrow enough there to build a clear span bridge.

·        This can act as the bypass the City of Orting is seeking without going through a residential development; both a quality of life issue and a safety issue.

Crossing the Puyallup at this location sets the road in a good location to connect with the new 176^th Street connection when that is built off the South Hill-Graham Plateau to Orting.

Not only will this be a primary corridor for the Bonney Lake residents to have a direct route to the South Hill-Graham area, but to destinations further west without weaving through the City of Orting.

This creates a corridor so people pass across the valley without congesting the City of Orting but would have easy access to the City if they choose to go there.

With the requirement to create a transportation network to support the plateau developments, a large portion of the cost of this corridor would be the responsibility of the developers. Negotiating with Pierce County can further share the burden of the cost. As a community safety issue as a primary evacuation route in the event of an emergency, such as a lahar flow, it might be eligible for state and federal funding as well.

Construction requirements should be made to build the road in such a way that it is hidden from view as it crosses and descends the hill to the Carbon River bridge, protecting the view shed and the aesthetic quality of the hillside.

This option seems to have the best benefits for everyone.

·        Orting gets the bypass they need so badly

·        Orting gets a viable evacuation route they also badly need making three routes in the Orting vicinity: South Plateau Connection, 176^th Street, and the Orting-Kapowsin Highway.

·        Orting also gets the potential for increased business as people choose to turn off the highway to access the services in the City of Orting.

·        The rural valley to the north of Orting is spared the fatal blow of a highway that would destroy the rural nature of the valley and prevent the development of an agricultural economy.

Pierce County has not considered this alignment for the South Plateau Connection. They need to “run the numbers” for this location and weigh the benefits to the entire community and region:

·        Benefits to the City of Orting

·        Benefits to the rural valley

·        Benefits to the development communities

·        Benefits to the County as a complete transportation corridor from SR 410 at Bonney Lake to Tacoma and to I-5 if the Cross Base Highway, SR704, is completed

·        That this corridor would serve many thousands of travelers, including all the residents of Orting and the south end of the valley

·        Consider all the potential sources for funding this corridor

There are no “losers” in this plan. But the City of Orting and the County need to get together now to figure it out, before other options for their bypass are decided and actions taken to establish it, and as the plan is developed for the Engfer farm. Time is of the essence. Even the developers are eager to get this issue decided so they can go ahead with their plans.

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