This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Traffic Light at the WSU Forest

This from a city council meeting: “From the June 4th Council Workshop: “The Community Development Committee heard a presentation on a proposed traffic signal on SR410 for the WSU Forest are although WSDOT has said they do not support a traffic signal at the proposed location, a lot depends on the specific project, funding, and the City’s stance on the issue." 

You’re at the red light that’s at 410 and South Prairie Road. You’re behind a tandem dump truck. The light changes and slowly the truck starts to move. You can’t pass as the traffic in the other lane is solid. Slowly, the truck picks up speed. You breathe the diesel, listen as a couple of stones drop off the truck. Just as you get to the top of the hill, and are almost at the speed limit, and you start to have hope, the new stoplight becomes red. Now you have to repeat the process again. We have South hill. What’s Bonney Lake going to be, East Hill? 

The arguments for the new light seems to include the need for another  north/ south route, the potential for a ‘big box’ store to suddenly appear there, and lots and lots of sales tax money. Let’s look at these arguments

Find out what's happening in Enumclawwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What about the north south route? We’re talking maybe two blocks between 410 and South Prairie. You can’t extend the street any further north or south as you run into housing areas that have been there for many years. As the ‘street” will go through a business development, don’t expect any quick shortcut. Think instead of the “street” in front of the old Albertsons. We’ll have speed bump after speed bump.

The “Big Box Store” (AKA “BBS”) seems solely dependent on getting a light. Who can resist such a great…eh which BBS is coming in?  We’ve heard of several possible stores. Funny thing, East Town, out past 214 is set up for traffic lights, frontage roads and, yes, big box stores. Why, oh why, is only the WSU Forest suitable for a BBS? 

Find out what's happening in Enumclawwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The sales tax dollars sounds good. Bonney Lake becomes the shopping center of the plateau, the money from sales taxes rolls in and living is easy. However, first you have to get the pesky BBS to build and open. Then deal with the increase in traffic, and accept yet another light on  410. 

Bottom line: if a BBS actually announced they were going to build in the WSU Forest, the stampede for the light would begin. However, all we get is a vague “If we get a light there, maybe….” We could just as well end up with another strip mall. 

The background to the light is worth noting. The developer wanted the light back when the WSU Forest was first sold. The state Department of Transportation said a very firm “NO” This is because the state requires a half mile between lights. The lights at South Prairie and at 208th are that half mile apart. The new light would be right in the middle. Something you run into now driving on Meridian in South Hill. One has light after light fading into the distance and bumper to bumper traffic. Last have you ever driven through Bonney Lake and hit all green lights? 

Last, you have to ask what has changed since the original deal was struck. The city council met on December 22, 2009 and first voted 4 to 3 against the agreement. A half hour later the second vote was 6 to 1 in favor. About the only change was that there would be no traffic light on 410. Three and a half years later, what has changed? Traffic is worse, not better. There’s no “Big Box Store” commitment. Finally, nobody has really explained exactly how we’ll benefit from another red light. 

The citizens that is, not the developer.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Enumclaw