Buckley is hoping to reach another milestone in its long, long journey toward reducing congestion on state Route 410.

After putting together its legislative priorities for the year, the city is asking the state legislature for a $250,000 grant to start engineering a massive highway project.

The project is based off a 2019 Washington State Department of Transportation study that suggested how various projects on the highway can provide short- and long-term traffic solutions.

Letters of support have been sent to Reps. Eric Robertson and Drew Stokesbary, as well as Sen. Phil Fortunato (R-31) from not just Buckley’s Mayor Beau Burkett, but Buckley Chamber of Commerce President Ali Santman, Carbonado Mayor Kevin Vesey, Enumclaw Mayor Jan Molinaro, Bonney Lake City Administrator John Vodopich, and Pierce County Councilman Dave Morell.

Luckily, Robertson is a ranking member of the House of Represenative’s Transportation Committee, and is supportive of this project.

“The growth in and around the Plateau communities has brought an increase in traffic, and the state has not addressed the increased congestion on our highways. I am supporting the City of Buckley’s nominal request for funding to begin this important work,” Robertson said in an email interview. “While our transportation funds are squeezed, due to project cost over-runs at the Department of Transportation, I am hopeful we can contribute to this important state highway project.”

This ask in on top of Buckley successfully lobbying for a federal Safe Streets for All grant of $200,000 (with a $50,000 match) to start the pre-design of this project.

If the state grants the city its $250,000 ask, it will be able to fund engineering planning for phase one, said City Administrator Courtney Brunell.

Robertson can be contacted at Eric.Robertson@leg.wa.gov; Stokesbary at drew.stokesbary@leg.wa.gov; and Fortunato at phil.fortunato@leg.wa.gov.

THE FUTURE OF 410

First off might be to temper some expectations — this project is something that will take at least a decade to complete, and will cost tens of millions of dollars.

But legislative support for this project is necessary to head off WSDOT’s projections of increased travel time from Enumclaw to Buckley.

According to the 2019 study, the amount of drivers going over the White River bridge during afternoon peak hours (3:30 to 5:30 p.m.) is expected to double, from 2,000 to 4,000 in 2040, and wait times to increase from about 20 minutes to close to an hour.

(It should be noted that eastbound driving wait time was taken on May 22, 2018, and might not be completely representative of current traffic patterns.)

Buckley has not received the Safe Streets for All grant at this time, so pre-design work has not begun — and thus, it’s unclear how the city plans to mitigate SR 410 traffic at this time.

However, the 2019 WSDOT study recommends, among other items, widening the highway to four lanes, making the White River bridge four lanes, and installing several roundabouts.

Whether or not the city of Buckley will go with these recommendations is unknown, but there will be ample time for local residents to comment on those plans once the design phase begins.