Pierce County's SR 167 Expressway Project Progresses with $177.7M Contract Awarded to Guy F. Atkinson, Inc.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has awarded the third out of four contracts slated for the SR 167 completion project in Pierce County to Guy F. Atkinson, Inc., the contract valued at $177.7 million announces the progress of the 6-mile State Route 167 Expressway nearing its completion, according to a report published by WSDOT. The third contract, which came under budget by $8.7 million, focuses on a portion stretching from SR 161/North Meridian Avenue in Puyallup to SR 410 near Sumner, starting in 2025 and finishing in 2027.

This phase of construction includes a diverging diamond interchange and new bridges over SR 161 and Milwaukee Avenue East, in addition to ramp meters at East Pioneer on-ramps to SR 512; notably, it will feature the construction of a section of the 12-mile spuyaləpabš Trail and the preservation of a part of the old Puyallup River steel truss bridge as a heritage marker, and while these efforts are a testament to the multifaceted nature of the project, they are but a prelude to the final touches that will bring the project full circle. WSDOT's Puget Sound Gateway Program Administrator John White expressed enthusiasm for the ongoing partnership with Atkinson, saying "We look forward to continuing to work together to build the new expressway and multi-modal improvements that will provide all travelers with more options," as WSDOT noted.

Looking ahead, the fourth and final stage of the SR 167 project is set to build the last 2.6 miles of the expressway from I-5 in Fife to SR 161/North Meridian Avenue, encompassing significant roadway and multi-modal enhancements, including trail connections, roadway and intersection reconfigurations, construction of eight new bridges and the restoration of approximately 90 acres of wetlands, the last contract for this section of the expressway is expected to be awarded in the summer of 2025 with completion projected for 2029.