Expect delays on Yelm Highway, Vail Road due to the start of road projects
Significant traffic delays are expected at the intersection of Yelm Highway and Meridian Road starting Thursday as crews build a new roundabout.
More than 10,000 drivers use the intersection each day because there are few east-west roads in the area, according to Thurston County data. During construction, the county says traffic at the intersection will be reduced to one lane controlled by flaggers.
Commuters can get around the construction by avoiding Yelm Highway between St. Clair Cutoff Road and Ruddell Road, according to an alternative route map.
The $3 million project aims to improve safety at the intersection, according to the project website. A federal grant contributed $1.3 million while Thurston County contributed $1.05 million from its Road Fund and $650,000 from impact fees.
Once completed, the improvements will include a single-lane roundabout with crosswalks and some landscaping, according to the county website. The county contracted with Pacific Civil and Infrastructure to complete the project.
The project is expected to be finished by fall.
Elsewhere in Thurston County, crews started paving Vail Road between 148th Avenue Southeast and 153rd Avenue on Thursday.
Drivers passing through that area can expect delays due to single-lane alternating traffic, according to the county.
By fall, crews should finish rebuilding the existing road base and widening the paved shoulders, per the project website.
The $3 million project aims to improve safety by adding walking space and shoulders, allowing drivers who leave the road to regain control of their vehicles, the website says.
The Washington State County Road Administration Board Funds contributed $1.2 million to the project while the Thurston County Road Fund is supplying the remaining $1.8 million.
