WSDOT SR 302 Safety Improvements to SR 16 On-ramp from Purdy Cause Uproar

Word of changes to the approach to eastbound State Route 16 from State Route 302 in Purdy stunned daily commuters convinced the project will worsen traffic during the busy morning commute.

A Sept. 10 WSDOT press release announced that crews would be on site Sept. 16-17 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. between the Purdy Bridge and Burnham Drive NW to permanently close most of the right lane of southbound SR 302 approaching the on-ramp to SR 16, creating a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.

The change is designed to improve safety by reducing the risk of speeding drivers merging at the last minute. It was developed by WSDOT after traffic and speed studies prompted by a general increase in resident requests to take action to improve safety.

Some commuters were not happy, if social media is any indication.

One user posted: “Come on Pierce County! Hire smarter people!”

Another poster wrote: “To the person in the big truck that decided to give a pervertible (sic) middle finger to WSDOT and went on the closed lane taking out the traffic cones on the way... You are my new hero!!! And I can’t wait to start honking my horn when I see people using the new ‘walking lane!’”

At a meeting of the Key Peninsula Council Feb. 12 in Key Center, WSDOT Olympic Region administrator Steve Roark addressed a long list of resident safety concerns about SR 302 one by one.

“As for SR 302 at Purdy, the single biggest problem is the intersection,” he said. While WSDOT doesn’t have the funding now, Roark said the intention is to install a roundabout at that location to keep traffic moving.

What Roark’s office heard most was complaints about the early morning commute and rampant speeding as cars jockey for position entering eastbound Highway 16.

Rep. Adison Richards (D-26th, Gig Harbor) and his counterpart Sen. Deb Krishnadasan (D-26th, Gig Harbor) had a meeting with WSDOT representatives Sept. 16 to get an update on the project.

“It’s not like the whole right lane’s going away,” Richards said. “So, if you turn right off the bridge, you’ll have that free access on the right-hand side, and then you’ll need to merge.”

The left turn off Burnham onto northbound SR 302 will be restricted by signage only, he said, to maintain access for emergency vehicles.

“The main issue continues to be that left-hand turn coming off the (Purdy) bridge, backing up traffic, especially in the morning,” he said.

WSDOT plans to build a roundabout at the intersection to improve traffic flow. Delays drop between 20% and 89% at roundabouts compared to controlled intersections, according to studies by the Federal Highway Administration.

“There’s already incredible pressure on Purdy to develop,” Richards said. “We've talked about a new bridge, about a bypass over Burley Lagoon. ... We’ve got to think about some tangible short-term options for mitigating the traffic there, like a roundabout, because otherwise there’ll be more pressure to further develop the Key Peninsula. My understanding is that if we get a roundabout funded, they could get started very quickly, as soon as next year,” he said.

“That to me is the most immediate solution and one of the best options, and I’m going to do everything I can to hold them to it. I’m just glad that Purdy is on WSDOT’s radar, that we’re actually starting to see some progress, even if it doesn’t look like we want it to at the moment."