Documenting traffic volumes in and around Black Diamond
A consultant working with YarrowBay will be documenting traffic volumes in and around Black Diamond on Tuesday, August 3rd between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Employees for the consultant, Traffic Count Consultants, will manually document existing traffic volumes using an electronic count board while sitting in a chair or parked vehicle at the following intersections:
1. SR 169/SE 288th Street
2. SR 169/SE Black Diamond-Ravensdale Road
3. SR 169/Roberts Drive
4. SR 169/Baker Street
5. SR 169/Lawson Road
6. SR 169/Jones Lake Road
7. SR 169/SE Green Valley Road
8. SE Auburn-Black Diamond Road/218th Avenue SE
9. SE Auburn-Black Diamond Road/Lake Sawyer Road SE
10. Roberts Drive/Morgan Street
11. SE Covington-Sawyer Road/216th Avenue SE
12. SE 288th Street/216th Avenue SE
13. SE 288th Street/232nd Avenue SE
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about 1 year ago
1. Doesn’t WSDOT already have information on traffic flow?
2. Will SR 169 be widened (to 4 lanes) as it is coming south out of Renton up to or beyond the Green River Bridge to accommodate doubling population growth?
3. Since it’s already clogged from Maple Valley south, will the needed infrastructure be completed in advance of the city’s expansion?
4. For impartiality, shouldn’t the city be doing the traffic study rather than a YB consultant?
about 1 year ago
We hope this addresses the topics you brought up:
The traffic counts will update existing information from WSDOT and other sources. The traffic count is being conducted by a transportation engineering firm locally known and respected by local jurisdictions and not directly by Yarrow Bay. All data collected will be shared with the City of Black Diamond and WSDOT for review and confirmation by each jurisdiction’s experts. Similar counts are expected to be collected over the coming months and years to ensure that traffic patterns are well understood. For example, a second count is planned after summer vacation season is over and school is back in session to provide the highest level of accuracy for differing time periods.
As a requirement of the Master Planned Developments, the Hearing Examiner has recommended a traffic analysis be conducted at each phase of development. That analysis requires this traffic count data. The purpose of the analysis is to align the timing of necessary road and intersection improvements with increased demand from new development.
Corridor improvements for SR 169 have been evaluated based on projected traffic measures in the year 2030. This evaluation is described in The State of Washington Department of Transportation SR 169 Route Development Plan, dated 2007. WSDOT invited several agencies and jurisdictions to participate in developing this study including: City of Black Diamond, City of Enumclaw, King County, City of Maple Valley, Puget Sound Regional Council, and City of Renton. This study recommended a four (4) lane roadway for a majority of SR 169 from Jones Road to SE 291st Street. Through Black Diamond, the study does not recommend widening to four lanes, but does recommend several intersection improvements as well as sidewalk and shoulder improvements.
In addition, the City has adopted a Transportation Comprehensive Plan. The City’s Transportation Comprehensive Plan calls for new intersection improvements and roadway links. Those improvements include “Pipeline Roadway” which will essentially parallel Roberts Drive, and a north/south roadway located west of SR 169. These projects also help relieve potential traffic problems through the City of Black Diamond along SR 169.