A new $3 million roundabout planned for SR 162 is meant to eliminate T-bone wrecks
Plans to put a roundabout at an intersection near the city of Orting are underway.
The state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has a virtual open house accessible through Thursday, Feb. 15, for residents to learn about a proposed single-lane roundabout on state Route 162 and Orville Road East. The open house can be found at engage.wsdot.wa.gov/sr-162-orville-road.
Those interested in sharing their thoughts about the intersection and the planned roundabout can go to engage.wsdot.wa.gov/sr-162-orville-road/feedback.
The roundabout would have crosswalks and raised shoulders, according to WSDOT’s website. Raised shoulders improve safety and accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians, according to the website, and the roundabout will be easy for large vehicles to go through.
About 9,000 vehicles pass through the intersection per day, according to WSDOT’s 2021 traffic count. 9.5 percent of those vehicles are trucks.
The project is expected to cost between $3-4 million. It will be funded through the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2025.
WSDOT spokesperson Mark Krulish told The News Tribune that there is a stop sign at the intersection, and that the speed limit is 45 mph. WSDOT determined that those features could be dangerous, he said.
Krulish said the intersection has a history of crashes. There were 74 crashes there from 2018 to 2022.
Roundabouts usually have a speed limit of 15-20 mph, according to WSDOT’s website. They eliminate T-bone and head-on crashes, and they do not need electricity to maintain, according to the website.
This story was originally published February 7, 2024 at 12:39 PM.
