Washington State Route 167

infobox WA State Route
type=WA
route=167
sec=330
parent=410
parent_type=WA
alternate_name=Valley Freeway

---

length_mi=28.60
length_ref=
length_round=2
formed=1964
dir1=South
dir2=North
from=
junction=
to= in Renton
previous_type=WA
previous_route=166
next_type=WA
next_route=168

State Route 167, commonly known as the Valley Freeway, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Interstate 5 in Tacoma with Interstate 405 in Renton, and is convert|28.60|mi|km long.

Route description

SR 167 runs east as a four-lane divided (only by a left-turn lane) highway from Interstate 5 in Tacoma along the Puyallup River's south bank into Puyallup. SR 167 crosses the Puyallup River. Just north of the river, SR 167 turns east onto a freeway at a partial interchange. SR 167 begins a brief concurrency with SR 161 at this interchange. The freeway continues east towards Sumner. SR 161 leaves SR 167 at an interchange with State Route 512, which goes south. SR 167 continues east and meets State Route 410 at an interchange. [cite map|publisher=Thomas Bros. Maps|title=Pacific Northwest Road Atlas|edition=6th|year=2004|page=182|section=B3|isbn=0528995111] The highway then turns north, and has a large interchange with State Route 18 in Auburn near the The SuperMall of the Great Northwest. [cite map |publisher=Rand McNally |title=The Road Atlas |year=2006 |page=110 |section=K9 |isbn=0528957902] North of Auburn, the freeway has high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. There is a project underway to convert these HOV lanes to high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes. [ [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR167/HOTLanes/ WSDOT: SR167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project] ]

State Route 167 then continues north passing through the city of Kent before reaching Interstate 405 in Renton. [cite map |publisher=Rand McNally |title=The Road Atlas |year=2006 |page=110 |section=H10, I9 |isbn=0528957902] An overloaded interchange with I-405 results in routine backups on I-405 as far as Tukwila to the west and the Kennydale Hill to the north. A flyover ramp completed in 2003 has improved the situation, [ [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/archives/GrayNotebookMar-03.pdf#page=16 WSDOT: Congestion Improvements from I-405/SR167 Ramp Separation] ] but a more comprehensive solution is being planned as part of I-405 widening. [ [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/I5toSR169/ WSDOT: I-405 - I-5 to SR169 Widening (includes I-405/SR167 area)] ] SR 167 ends just north of Interstate 405, at State Route 900 in Renton. [ [http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=47.17.330 RCW 47.17.330: Legal definition of SR 167] ]

History

Portions of State Route 167 were added to Washington's state highway system as early as 1913 as part of the Pacific Highway, although most of this was then deleted in 1923. [cite WAstat|year=1913|ch=65] [cite WAstat|year=1923|ch=185] The only portion kept was that between Auburn and Renton, which became part of State Road 5. The rest of the route (between Auburn and Tacoma) was added back to the state highway system two years later in 1925, also as a part of State Road 5. [cite WAstat|year=1925|ch=26] This route was extended north along Rainier Avenue into Seattle in 1937. [cite WAstat|year=1937|ch=190]

When Washington's current numbering system was developed with the 1964 renumbering, State Route 167 followed what is now State Route 164 from Enumclaw to Auburn before turning north towards Renton and Seattle. What is now SR 167 between Tacoma and Auburn was numbered SR 410 between Tacoma and Sumner, and State Route 163 between Sumner and Auburn. [Washington State Highway Commission, [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Library/History.htm Identification of State Highways] , December 1, 1965] These highways were renumbered to their current designations in 1973. [Session Laws of the State of Washington. 1973 (1st extraordinary session) chapter 151.] The highway between Renton and Seattle was removed from the state highway system in 1991, although the law did not take effect until April 1, 1992. [cite WAstat|year=1991|ch=342]

Future developments

WSDOT plans to convert the entire route in Pierce County to a freeway. [ [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR167/TacomaToEdgewood/ WSDOT: SR167 Tacoma to Edgewood new freeway] ] WSDOT is performing advance design and engineering work. The proposed highway would bypass the snarled traffic at Meridian Way in Puyallup and continue across Interstate 5 to SR 509 in the city of Fife. The project would construct a new six mile (10 km) freeway north of the Puyallup River and complete the partial interchange at Meridian Way (SR 161). The new freeway would be four lanes with adequate space for future HOV lanes. The interchange with I-5 would have direct access HOV ramps. The upgraded SR 167 would save time travelling from Tacoma to Puyallup, as the original highway is just a four-lane road with at-grade intersections and a speed limit of convert|50|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on. It would also, in theory, complete the gap of a bypass to I-5 between Renton and Tacoma. SR 512 currently provides a freeway bypass of I-5 between Puyallup and Tacoma.

Exit list

References