The south Sound may get traffic relief sooner than expected with lawmakers pushing the completion date for the Puget Sound Gateway Program forward by three years to accommodate growth in the region.
The project was originally funded over a 16-year timeline but the Washington State Department of Transportation said they think it can be completed in 13 years. Senate Bill 5825, which is awaiting the Governor's signature, will move up the completion date to 2028 instead of 2031.
There are two projects in the Puget Sound Gateway Program: completing State Route 167 in Pierce County and completing State Route 509 in King County.
The goal is to reduce traffic congestion by making alternative routes to I-5, and connect the Port of Tacoma with Seattle and key distribution centers in King and Pierce counties, and to eastern Washington.
The project is estimated to cost $1.88 billion. Almost all the funding come from the Connecting Washington Revenue Package passed by the Legislature in 2015. Tolls will contribute $180 million and local contributions will be $130 million. WSDOT said they are also seeking a federal grant for the project.