New light will improve safety at Peninsula High School, county says. It’ll be turned on Wednesday

A new traffic signal system will be activated Wednesday near Peninsula High School, according to Pierce County public works.

The light will be switched on at the intersection of 62nd Avenue Northwest and 144th Street Northwest on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The activation is weather dependent.

Anne Radford, a spokesman for Planning and Public Works, said the new signal is part of a project to increase the safety and efficiency of the intersection, which is located next to the Peninsula High School baseball field. Work on the project began in April 2019.

Improvements included the addition of street lighting on 144th Street Northwest, turn lanes on 144th Street Northwest and 62nd Avenue Northwest, retaining walls, and stormwater treatment and detention facilities. 62nd Avenue Northwest was rebuilt in the project area, while 144th Street Northwest was widened and resurfaced.

Work was suspended in September 2019 while traffic signal poles were being delivered. Work resumed Feb. 10, with crews installing components of the new traffic signal system.

Final pavement work is expected to take place in mid-2020.

Active Construction, Inc. is the contractor. The construction cost is approximately $2.4 million and is funded by County Road Funds.

A project webpage is available at www.piercecountywa.gov/crp5801

This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 2:28 PM.