LOCATION
Pierce County, WA
CLIENT(S)
Washington State Department of Transportation, Olympic Region
INVOLVEMENT
2013-2016
Over the past several years, traffic congestion in this project area has increased significantly as a result of both community growth and the rapid increase in military and civilian employment on Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM)and the adjacent Camp Murray. SCJ is managing the planning and engineering elements for a corridor-level Interchange Justification Report (IJR) and environmental documentation on I-5 in the vicinity of JBLM.
This fast track project had an aggressive schedule that required a highly creative approach to managing an open and diverse stakeholder process. We worked closely with 14 agency partners who were represented by over 60 individuals. This process focused on continuous communication with partner agencies, the public, and two military bases. As one of the key priority projects in Washington, this project also emphasized the use of least cost planning principles and practical design, and included an innovative approach to the integration of transportation and environmental planning.
SCJ led a unique and collaborative process in developing multimodal solutions focusing on a mix of strategic freeway widening, interchange capacity enhancements, local streets, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and transit service expansion. Innovative technology was also used in the form of Bluetooth readers to map out how traffic was using the corridor and this information was essential in developing the appropriate solutions.
STAFF STORY
“We were given tremendous flexibility by our client to develop a planning and design process focused on collaboration, communication and coordination. These key themes allowed our team to develop a multimodal solution that focused on new planning principals while meeting the needs of the project stakeholders.
Very rewarding to be part of a dynamic process and project.”
Perry Shea, PE
Principal/Project Manager