King County will be improving traffic safety along a road corridor near Auburn with federal funding from the Rural Safety Innovation Program. The $200,000 grant is providing 80 percent of the funding to complete safety improvements on Southeast Lake Holm Road between Auburn and Enumclaw.

The proposed safety improvements include lower-cost projects that use technology to enhance roadway safety.

The improvements include: installing warning flashers that detect the presence of approaching vehicles; driver feedback signs that measure and display the speed of approaching vehicles; and message signs that warn drivers when they are going faster than the advised speed limit.

The federal RSIP program is part of a national effort to help local and state governments reduce crashes on dangerous rural roads.

Work will begin the week of Aug. 17 on the Lake Holm Road project. The three-quarter mile project area is located east of the Auburn-Black Diamond Road/State Route 18 interchange. Work is planned to begin in late August. The work will require a full closure of Lake Holm Road for approximately one day. The closure will be limited to the hill east of Auburn-Black Diamond Road, and no residences or businesses are within the closed area.

The King County Road Services Division has identified the location as a high-collision area. Over the years, the majority of the collisions along the corridor have involved single vehicles running off the road, or vehicles crossing the centerline. County traffic engineers say there are steep grades and tight curves along the road that have contributed to the higher accident rates.