The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project will extend Canyon Road East from Pioneer Way East to 70th Avenue East in Fife – completing an important connection between Frederickson and the Port of Tacoma.
Pierce County and our partners are moving forward with the next set of improvements between the Frederickson Industrial Area and the Port of Tacoma, offering big benefits for drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians and 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 serves all the jurisdictions and communities along the corridor.
An environmental review process for the River Crossing portion of the project is underway. This process will evaluate how the project may affect the built and natural environments. We hosted an online open house in July and August 2020 where participants learned about the project and the environmental review process. View our responses to questions we received and read a summary of how we engaged the community in our scoping process. You can also watch a recording of a July 23 Virtual Town Hall. We are preparing concise and easy-to-read draft documents that we expect to share in early 2022, followed by a formal public hearing to finalize the documents in late 2022.
The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project will create a more direct north-south corridor from the Frederickson Industrial Area to the Port of Tacoma.
The project has two elements: the Railroad Crossing and the River Crossing. The Railroad Crossing includes planned improvements to extend Canyon Road East from Pioneer Way East, over the BNSF Railroad, to 52nd Street East. The River Crossing includes planned improvements to extend Canyon Road East from 52nd Street East, across the Puyallup River, to 70th Avenue East in the City of Fife.
This project will support the local economy, provide new route options and reduce travel times. In addition, Pierce County will invest more than $1.5 million in environmental mitigation by restoring wetlands and improving salmon habitat.
Click map to enlarge.
Extends Canyon Road East from south of Pioneer Way East to 52nd Street East and from 52nd Street to 70th Avenue East.
Builds a bridge over the BNSF Railroad to separate vehicles on the road from train traffic.
Builds a new, more efficient bridge over the Puyallup River, including improved bicycle and pedestrian connections, and removes the existing Milroy Bridge.
Constructs stormwater treatment and storage facilities.
Installs new traffic signals, curbs, gutters and sidewalks.
Creates a wetland mitigation site and other environmental improvements.
Visualization of the future River Crossing.
Pierce County has already invested nearly $138 million in improvements to the Canyon Road corridor over decades. We added lanes, installed new lights and traffic signals, added medians and built new pedestrian facilities, among other improvements.
To make the final connection, construction on the project—including both the Railroad and River Crossing portions—is scheduled to start in 2025, pending funding.
NEPA*
Design and Permitting
Property Acquisition
Construction
Planning and Design
Design and Permitting
Property Acquisition
NEPA / SEPA*
Construction
* NEPA refers to the National Environmental Policy Act. SEPA refers to the State Environmental Policy Act.
Design and property acquisition are fully funded through a combination of Pierce County and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funds. Current funding sources for construction include Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB), BNSF Railroad and Pierce County. We are pursuing all 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 to support this connection.
