Project overview
State Route 507 (SR 507) between the Skookumchuck River Bridge and the Thurston County line within Centralia and unincorporated Lewis County is in need of pavement preservation work to protect the public’s investment in the highway. This work is necessary to keep the roadway in good condition and open to the public.
As a part of the project delivery process, a Complete Streets screening was completed for this project. The screening found that the Complete Streets legislation applies to the portion of the project within Centralia city limits, from north of the Skookumchuck River Bridge to near Howard Avenue. Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing, building, operating and maintaining the transportation system that allows for safe and convenient access to destinations for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders.
Along the project limits where Complete Streets applies, gaps in bicycle and pedestrian facilities exist that make walking, biking and rolling difficult or unsafe. As a part of the Complete Streets Pre-Design study, the project team will engage the community around the project limits to understand the needs and gaps in bicycle and pedestrian facilities, design concepts that address these gaps, and identify a preferred concept to move forward to the design phase of the project. The proposed Complete Street improvements will be constructed with the pavement preservation work proposed for the project corridor.
Construction of bicycle and pedestrian facilities along SR 507 will allow for use of the area by people walking biking and using transit. This can help to reduce congestion, improve air quality, reduce vehicle miles travelled, and improve accessibility and comfort for people walking, biking and rolling.
What to expect
The SR 507 Complete Streets Pre-Design study will engage the community, partner agencies and WSDOT subject matter experts to develop alternatives that complete gaps in bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the project limits. The pre-design study will prepare 30 percent plans for the preferred alternative, a preliminary cost estimate for future phases of the project, and a preliminary schedule for the future phases of the project.
SR 507 connects rural unincorporated Lewis and Thurston counties to Centralia, Chehalis and the Interstate 5 corridor. The existing pavement surface are getting worse due to normal wear and tear. Resurfacing the highway will extend the service life of the pavement. Additionally, closing gaps in bicycle and pedestrian facilities will improve accessibility and comfort for people walking, biking and rolling within the project limits.
