City of Puyallup news release.
The City of Puyallup is hosting a second Open House to update the public about the Shaw Road Corridor Study. The event will take place at the Pioneer Park Pavilion on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, from 6 to 8 pm. The public is invited to come and share their thoughts about the City’s current plan for the corridor.
The City has been studying a section of Shaw Road, between 12th Ave SE and 23rd St SE, to identify improvements that will aid in easing traffic congestion, enhancing multimodal travel, and improving side street access. To assist with the corridor study, the City hired a consultant, KPG Psomas, to collect data, conduct research, and help prepare a preliminary plan for future implementation. An important part of this study includes conducting public outreach to gain insights from both commuters and residents adjacent to the corridor.
The City held its first Open House virtually, via Zoom and Facebook Live, on December 9, 2021, and presented information about the project while also providing answers to questions from those in virtual attendance. Over thirty people were in attendance, and feedback from the attendees was taken into consideration in the development of the preliminary plan. To watch the video of the first Open House, please visit our project website page.
The Second Open House will be held in person at the Pavilion located in Pioneer Park. There, the public will get a chance to; meet the project team, learn about the Corridor Study, discover what the future holds for the Shaw Road corridor, and learn the next steps in the process of the project. City Engineer Hans Hunger elaborates on what the public can expect at the meeting.
“Based on City Council and community input, the team has come up with a preliminary design concept for this section of Shaw Road, and we will be presenting it at the Open House,” says Hunger. “It is important that we hear community input on the design. Then, the big question will be “How will we get this funded?” Having community support for the improvements helps maintain this as a high-priority project. Strong community support also presents a strong case to state and federal grant organizations, who could help us get this project funded.”
In 2018, the City began work on making improvements to a section of Shaw Road, between 23rd Avenue SE and Manorwood Drive. Improvements to that section included minor widening to add a two-way left-turn lane, sidewalks with crossing enhancements, a shared-use path for biking and walking, and the replacement of a sewer line. The project finished in 2019. As a continuation, the City is looking at making improvements to the northern section of Shaw Road, between 12th Ave SE and 23rd Ave SE, which sees the most congestion during peak commute times.
In 2021, the City conducted a Traffic Study for the section of Shaw Road between 12th Ave SE and 23rd Ave SE. The Analysis evaluated several different road widening options, and a preliminary design concept was recommended to accommodate future traffic volumes. The public can review the findings of the Analysis, as well as other pertinent documents, by visiting the Shaw Road Corridor Improvement Study webpage.
Funding for this project came from a federal grant awarded by the Puget Sound Regional Council. The City thanks the Puget Sound Regional Council for providing financial assistance towards the Shaw Road Corridor Study Project.
For more information about the Open House and the Shaw Road Corridor Study Project, please go to our website. For questions about the project, please contact Drew Young, Senior Civil Engineer, at dyoung@puyallupwa.gov.
