Roundabout could help at Capitol

By Adam Wilson | The Olympian • Published March 26, 2008

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OLYMPIA – A roundabout between the Capitol Campus and the nearest Interstate 5 ramps would alleviate traffic congestion caused by a new state office being constructed nearby, a new report says.

The Department of Information Services is constructing a headquarters, office building and data center on the eastern edge of the campus.

The $260 million project will result in about 300 extra cars at 14th Avenue and Jefferson Street, according to an analysis by project contractor Parametrix.

That intersection now includes entrances to the East Plaza Garage used by state workers. At traffic's two-hour morning peak, 1,635 cars move west from the I-5 offramp through the intersection, the study says.

A roundabout or a longer left-turn lane near the offramp would prevent major delays at the intersection, the study says.

"Both of those things are on the table right now," Information Services spokeswoman Joanne Todd said Wednesday. "Clearly, there's financial implications on both, too."

The department is scheduled to complete the 464,000-square-foot project in two years.

Adam Wilson covers state workers and politics for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-753-1688 or awilson@theolympian.com.