The King County Road Services Division will make safety improvements at two key intersections in South King County in the coming months. The county received federal grant funding to complete the projects near Auburn and southeast of Renton.
West of Auburn, the county will revise the three-way intersection where South 277th Street meets with Star Lake Road and 55th Avenue South. After the project is complete, traffic will no longer be able to turn left from 55th Avenue South/South Star Lake Road onto South 277th Street.
The county will construct a raised island on South 277th Street at the intersection, and modify the signals and striping for 55th Avenue South. This is being done to fix the current hazard on westbound 277th when traffic in the left-turn queue backs up into the westbound through lane. The changes will allow more time for westbound traffic to turn left, which will reduce queuing and the frequency of collisions.
Motorists turning who now turn left from 55th Avenue South to westbound South 277th Street can use the signal at 42nd Avenue South and South 272nd Street during and following construction.
Construction is expected to begin by September 2012 and be completed by year end. No full road closures are anticipated to complete this work. Project signs will be installed on the approaches to the intersection to alert motorists a few weeks prior to the start of construction. Information is available online.
Comments about this safety project are being accepted from June 15-29. You can submit them to Community Relations, King County Department of Transportation by: phone at 206-263-9770; by email to community.relations@kingcounty.gov; or send to 201 S. Jackson St., MS: KSC-TR-0824, Seattle, WA 98104.
