Expect new Olympia roundabout, months of detours as part of $24 million project
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lane shifts begin March 23 and reduced lanes remain through the summer.
- Adds raised crossing, refuge island and compact roundabout for safety and calming.
- Includes stormwater, water, power/communications, sidewalks, bike lanes; $24.5M.
The City of Olympia has plans to transform Fones Road, located on the east-side boundary with Lacey, into a safer place to walk, ride and drive
According to a March 16 newsletter from the city, construction will enter a new phase on March 23 and will bring lane shifts and traffic changes to the area that will last through the summer.
According to the newsletter, a new traffic pattern will begin on Monday, March 23, to allow crews to construct a new roadway. Night work is planned from 7 p.m. March 23 to 5 a.m. March 24 to allow for crews to establish new traffic lanes in one shift. Southbound traffic will be shifted to the east to give crews the space to construct the roadway.
Crews will then be working throughout the day generally from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, through the summer, according to the newsletter.
One lane will stay open in each direction throughout the corridor, according to the newsletter. The road currently has one southbound lane and two northbound lanes, one of which becomes a right-turn-only lane, as well as a middle turn lane.
Left turn lanes may not always be available during construction, according to the newsletter. There is an existing roundabout at 18th Avenue Southeast that gives access to homes and businesses in the area. The reduced lanes will remain in place through the end of construction.
The city shared a detour map that encourages people to avoid Fones Road entirely by using Pacific Avenue, Boulevard Road, 18th Avenue and Sleater Kinney Road.
Project details
According to previous reporting from The Olympian, there are two major components to the project. The first one is at the north end, around the Woodland Trail.
Project Manager Jim Rioux previously told The Olympian that where the trail crosses Fones Road has become a source of significant safety concerns. He said crews will be improving that crossing by installing a raised pedestrian crossing, which will hopefully lead to slower traffic for people to cross.
Rioux said there will also be a pedestrian refuge island in the middle of the road at that crossing.
The other component is a new roundabout in front of the south entrance of Home Depot. Called a compact roundabout, Rioux said it will have traffic calming influences.
He said this project involves a lot of underground work as well. Crews will be improving the underground stormwater management system, the drinking water system and communications and power systems.
There will also be sidewalks throughout the corridor, separated bike lanes, landscaping and new lighting. The city’s project website includes an interactive map that shows what and where improvements will be made.
The estimated cost of the project is $24.5 million, according to the project website. The city has received more than $11 million in grants from the Thurston Regional Planning Council, Federal Highway Administration and Transportation Improvement Board for the project.
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