On March 14 (Pi Day, 3/14) the 723 Networking group will have a guest speaker talking about the Cross Base Highway project. This project is designed to relive traffic congestion in the mid and south county. The WSDOT description is below. The meeting begins around 7 am at JR’s Whistle Stop at 224th & the Mountain Highway.
[Editorial comment: This highway is not supported by the current executive administration of Pierce County. Ask how much she cares about anything outside the Tacoma city limits, many of us have heard her say how many durns she gives. The Tacoma Pierce County Chamber of Commerce has actually told US, out here in Spanaway to support SR167 extension in Fife instead… (insert loud laughter). So if you are local to SPANAWAY, get onboard with us, support YOUR community and join with us to say we have needs too!]
Project description from the WSDOT website:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr704/crossbase/
Project antagonists article: http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/crossbase_highway_dead_not_according_to
Why is WSDOT considering building SR 704?
The project is intended to improve transportation system linkage and capacity between Pierce County and destinations along the I-5 corridor for the efficient movement of people and goods.
On Aug. 3, 2004 the environmental Record of Decision (pdf 284 kb) was issued by FHWA, making WSDOT the lead agency on the project.
This project would address the following needs:
- Reduce traffic volumes and congestion on existing roadways such as SR 7, SR 512, SR 507, Spanaway Loop Road, and 174th Street South.
- Provide a direct arterial link in the mid-Pierce County area in proximity with the Cities of Lakewood and DuPont for the movements of vehicles, public transit, freight, pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
- Improve public safety by providing faster and direct emergency vehicle access between Pierce County and medical facilities such as Madigan Army Hospital.
- Improve access to and between the military installations by providing an exclusive roadway for Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The End Result
When complete, the Cross-base Highway (SR 704) would provide regional travelers with a new six-mile-long, multi-lane divided highway beginning at the I-5 Thorne Lane Interchange at the west end, connecting to 176th Street at SR 7 at the east end.
This new alternate east-west route would ease congestion on I-5, SR 512, SR 7 and Spanaway Loop Road by providing a route through Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
Project Benefits
- Congestion Relief. The I-5 corridor, SR 512, and SR 7, along with county roads, would experience congestion relief and reduced delays as a result of this new project.
- Safety. This new highway would be designed to modern safety standards with full-width lanes and shoulders. The new interchange at Thorne Lane on I-5 would improve traffic flow and enhance safety.
- Environmental Benefits. This project would meet or exceed the latest environmental standards, including the development of a 358-acre habitat to protect and enhance the environment.
What is the project timeline?
The SR 704 Cross-base Highway is divided into five independent projects. Construction on Project 1, Spanaway Loop Rd to SR 7, began in July 2008. The four remaining projects are suspended awaiting funding.
Pierce Prairie Post 
According to local historians, the oak trees are not indigenous, they were brought here in bushels of seed from Oregon City by the Puget Sound Agricultural Company of Hudson’s Bay. Yes, Fort Nisqually started them along with the Scotch broom. That’s why they arean’t all over Western Washington. So stop whining about the last remaing oak prairie, this was ALL prairie according to historians, WITHOUT oaks or any other trees. We’d rather have the elk back than the squirrels.
I live in Lakewood and service Pierce County in my business. I spend hours in traffic burning fuel and discharging carbon monoxide into the local air. I drive through Woodbrook often with my semi truck along with many others and see the poor homes along Spanaway Loop suffer through the heavy landfill traffic that comes and goes to and from Graham. The strangle hold a few want to put onto many of us is hurting our economy, driving up our cost of living, hurting the environment and lowering our living standards by causing us to spend more money on fuel and less time with our families. Its time they stop looking at the clouds over their noses and get back to earth where we are all struggling to get by, make a living and improve our communities. If they are so concerned about the trees and squirrels plant an oak in your own backyard. I have lived in Washington all my life and I remember before I-5 was built the traffic on Old 99 between Tacoma and Everett. Should we have stopped then and not built the freeway? Look at how that improved commerce and allowed more opportunities for everyone to expand how far they could go look for work or visit families or go to purchase goods. Why should we deny the people of East Pierce County the same opportunity? To protect non native plants and squirrels that breed like rats in the attic? What has happened in our world that we have started to put more value on something replaceable like a plant and less value on a human life or family that gets only one shot at life.
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