The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project will extend Canyon Road East from Pioneer Way East to 70th Avenue East in Fife – connecting communities on both sides of the Puyallup River and making it easier and faster for people and goods to travel through the Puyallup River Valley.
The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project will complete a long-planned connection between the Frederickson Industrial Area and the Port of Tacoma, offering travel time benefits for drivers, safety and connectivity improvements for cyclists and pedestrians, and better mobility for freight haulers in this growing area.
Pierce County is working closely with the City of Fife, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, BNSF Railway and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to ensure the Canyon Road Regional Connection Project meets or exceeds environmental requirements while benefiting all the jurisdictions and communities along the corridor.
The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project will create a more direct north-south corridor across the Puyallup River, connecting the Frederickson Industrial Area to the Port of Tacoma, and linking communities on both sides of the Puyallup River.
The project has two elements: the Railroad Crossing and the River Crossing. The Railroad Crossing will extend Canyon Road East from Pioneer Way East to 52nd Street East and includes a bridge over the BNSF Railroad. The River Crossing will extend Canyon Road East from 52nd Street East across Clarks Creek and the Puyallup River, through to 70th Avenue East in the City of Fife.
Just north of the Canyon Road Connection Project, WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program will build a new interchange connecting SR 167, 70th Avenue East, and I-5.
The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project is more than just a road expansion. It’s an opportunity to reduce travel times, modernize local infrastructure, add safety features, improve travel for cyclists and pedestrians, and increase access to jobs. We’re not only focused on the present, but also investing in the future with more than $1.5 million in environmental benefits by restoring and preserving wetlands, adding stormwater treatment facilities, and improving salmon habitat.
Click the map to enlarge and visualize the impact.
Limited travel interruptions: Canyon Road East will be extended south of Pioneer Way East to 52nd Street East, and from 52nd Street East to 70th Avenue East.
Safer crossing: A dedicated bridge over BNSF Railroad will separate vehicles on the road from train traffic.
Comfortable travel: A more efficient bridge over the Puyallup River will protect cyclists and pedestrians, improve travel time, and replace the existing Milroy Bridge.
Protecting our waterways: Stormwater treatment and storage facilities, wetland mitigation site, and other environmental improvements will be prioritized, protecting this area for future generations.
Improved Infrastructure: New traffic signals, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks will replace outdated infrastructure bringing this corridor to modern standards.
An image of what the future River Crossing may look like. To see what the Railroad Crossing may look like, visit our Railroad Crossing page.
Pierce County has invested nearly $138 million in improvements to the Canyon Road corridor over the past two decades. We added lanes, installed new lights and traffic signals, added medians, and built new sidewalks and crossings, among other improvements.
To make the final connection, construction on the project—including both the Railroad and River Crossing portions—is tentatively scheduled to start in 2027, pending funding.
NEPA*
Design and Permitting
Property Acquisition
Construction tentatively
scheduled to begin
Floodplain mapping and analysis
Bridge design evaluation
Environmental permitting and property acquisition resumes
Construction tentatively
scheduled to begin
* NEPA refers to the National Environmental Policy Act. SEPA refers to the State Environmental Policy Act. Our NEPA assessment is currently being reevaluated and the updated assessment will not be available until 2024.
Pierce County and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have fully funded design and property acquisition.
Current funding sources for construction include the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB), BNSF Railroad, and Pierce County. We are pursuing all available funding opportunities to fill the remaining funding gap for construction.
Four other county road projects within the Canyon Road corridor are also in the works.
Our blog is a great way to stay up to date with our project! You can also visit our Stay Connected page to get in touch with the project team directly.
