Have something to say about Shaw Road? Puyallup wants feedback on its plans
As the city of Puyallup continues work on Shaw Road, residents and those who frequent the area will get the chance to express their thoughts and give feedback to the city before the holidays hit.
The city will host a virtual open house on Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom and Facebook Live to discuss proposed improvements for the 12th Ave. SE and 23rd Ave. SE section of Shaw Road. Those looking to participate via Zoom must email the city at epuyallup@puyallupwa.gov no later than 4 p.m. on Dec. 9 to receive the link.
The preliminary design concept will be presented at the open house. It includes a continuous center turn lane, sidewalks on both sides of the road and a shared-use path, according to the city’s website.
“Shaw Road is a very important commuter route not just for our residents, but also for folks that live in greater Pierce County,” city spokesperson Eric Johnson said. “In the last few years, we’ve seen increased traffic along that road.”
The 23rd Ave. SE and Manorwood Drive section of Shaw Road underwent construction in 2018, The News Tribune reported. The $7 million project implemented a continuous left-turn lane, crosswalk and sidewalk, among other things.
A price tag for improvements to be made for the 12th Ave. SE and 23rd Ave. SE section is “difficult to determine right now,” Johnson said. Construction on that section will occur several years from now and will be done in phases, he said.
“We want the public to weigh in on this because we know that residents have a lot of strong opinions about Shaw Road,” Johnson said.
The city hired KPG Consultants to conduct a traffic corridor study through a $650,000 grant, The News Tribune reported. The study showed that, by 2040, Shaw Road may receive an “F” rating on a scale of “A” through “F” if the road is not expanded. The city’s standard states ratings must not fall below “E.”
There will be a second open house in 2022 about the 12th Ave. SE and 23rd Ave. SE section, during which some of the public’s feedback from the first open house will be considered and incorporated, Johnson said.
This story was originally published December 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
