Milton to pursue interchange

By Meghan Erkkinen

The Signal
merkkinen@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: July 17, 2008

The city of Milton will not be passed up if and when State Route 167 is extended to the Port of Tacoma.

The city council reached a consensus at its July 14 study session and directed the city staff to pursue a highway interchange to bring visitors to the city and promote economic development along Pacific Highway.

Without such an interchange, city staff have determined that Milton will be greatly and negatively impacted by the development of the highway. Plans for the project show the displacement of numerous businesses.

“The word is out so businesses are leaving the area,” said Community Development Director Emily Terrell. “We are already losing the property value and the sales tax that are associated with those [properties] even though SR 167 may not be constructed for 20 years.”

An interchange, paired with business-friendly land use policies, would allow the city to combat those negative impacts and potentially would bring new economic opportunities. The key to those opportunities, according to City Administra-tor Michael Wilson, is access.

“The intent is to be able to have access to the freeway,” Wilson said. “It’s hard to attract people here when they have to go so far away to get here.”

The Milton City Council generally supported moving forward to determine the costs, location and potential funding for such an interchange.

Councilmember Jim Heddlesten suggested exten-ding opportunities even further by annexing the city’s urban growth area north of its borders along Pacific Highway.

“There are plenty of businesses that are currently there,” he said. “Most of those places are willing to be part of the city.”

He also suggested an interchange might improve traffic. But Councilmember Leonard Sanderson expressed some concern on that front, saying it might draw non-local traffic to the area, crowding streets during rush hours.

“Unless we can figure out how to accommodate that problem, I’m not in favor of the interchange,” Sanderson said.

Councilmember Robert Whalen urged fellow council members and the staff to first think about a greater vision for that area and others in the city.

“We may best direct our efforts in another direction,” he said.

The city staff stressed that Milton needed to be ready when – not if – the interchange is built.

“Whether it happens five years from now or 10 years from now, it’s going to happen,” Wilson said. The building of SR 167 “actually creates a window of opportunity for the city,” he added.

The city staff will explore possibilities further with the Washington State Department of Transportation, the development community and other outside resources.

Story Tools

This Week's
Front Page