Community Watch for Dec. 29

Working for a better South Sound

• Published December 29, 2008

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Community Watch is a weekly feature of The Olympian designed to help readers get action on local problems.

Every Monday in South Sound, Community Watch focuses on complaints and suggestions raised by readers.

What needs attention

A resident on Littlerock Road Southwest raises a concern about the Interstate 5 offramp onto 93rd Avenue Southwest (Exit 99). The offramp is a single lane, and drivers wait in a long line to turn during rush hour. The resident writes that impatient drivers often pass on the right those waiting to turn onto 93rd.

The resident says drivers in line don't see people passing on the right, so when they turn right, the other drivers have to slam on their brakes. She wrote that's a recipe for a collision and wonders whether anything is being done about it.

The solution

A series of improvements is proposed for the interchange that includes widening both offramps for new right-turn lanes and traffic signals at both intersections.

Thurston County has required the developer of a proposed warehouse project near Blomberg Street to pay for the design and construction of the improvements. Steve Bennett, traffic operations engineer for the state Department of Transportation's Olympic region, said the project is on hold. Neither the consultant hired by the developer nor the developer's lawyer returned phone messages before the holidays last week.

In November, Dale Severson, development services engineer for the DOT's Olympic region, wrote to the city of Tumwater requesting that it require the developer of a second development proposal in the area to pay for the same improvements, plus additional frontage improvements, before that project is allowed to go forward. The project calls for the construction of six warehouses totalling 1.7 million square feet on 93rd Avenue between the Pilot Travel Center and Kimmie Street.

Severson, in his Nov. 5 letter, suggested that the two developers partner pay for the improvements so one of them doesn't bear the entire cost.

Whom to contact

Bennett can be reached at 360-357-2673.

Tell us what needs attention: Send your complaint to Jerre Redecker, Community Watch, The Olympian, P.O. Box 1219, Olympia, WA 98507; fax to 360-357-0202; or send e-mail to jredecker@theolympian.com.