By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald
The Lowe's home improvement store proposed for Bonney Lake has taken a major step forward.
Jeff Oliphant, the developer in charge of the project, submitted a revised preliminary site plan and traffic proposal to the city.
Public Works Director Dan Grigsby said the city's traffic consultant, Shea and Carr, is writing the final report on the traffic impact analysis.
According to Heather Stinson, associate planner for the city, the developer provided two traffic options.
The first option has an entrance on South Prairie Road between the intersection of state Route 410 East and 200th Avenue East and another entrance on 200th Avenue Court East. This option leaves the current expansion work on South Prairie Road that is being done by the city as it is planned.
The second option proposes adding a third left turn lane on South Prairie Road coming up to the intersection of SR 410 East. This plan will also allow a left turn onto South Prairie Road out of Lowe's except during peak traffic hours of 4 to 6:30 p.m.
The triple left turn option also means the developer will expand SR 410 from the intersection west nearly to 192nd Avenue East and requires approval of the state Department of Transportation.
“We are very pleased to come up with a traffic program that will greatly improve the transportation system around the project,” Oliphant said. “The main element of the triple left lane is the widening of 410. It's a triple win for the city, the development and the community.”
A frontage road running parallel to SR 410 and connecting in front of Spa City to the Market at Lake Tapps shopping center was considered, but did not pencil out according to Oliphant.
“The frontage road benefits the two shopping centers,” Oliphant said. “But (the triple left option) provides a better benefit to the community.”
Oliphant said Lowe's will “dedicate land from the property” to make the extra lane on South Prairie Road feasible.
The Lowe's store design calls for about a 136,000-square-foot building with about 31,000 square feet for a garden center. Other retail will also be added to the site and the square footage of the Lowe's store may be adjusted down slightly according to Oliphant.
Stinson said city has issued a SEPA (state environmental policy act) determination. There will be a period of two weeks for public and agency comments and following that, a two week period for someone to appeal the SEPA ruling.
An appeal will go before the city's hearing examiner.
Oliphant said if all goes as planned construction could begin by midsummer and will take about 15 months to complete.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.
