Start planning now: WSDOT is warning of 10 mile backups and 1.5 hour delays over the weekend of Aug. 20 as crews close all lanes of northbound SR 167 from Sumner to Pacific.

Starting 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, WSDOT contractors will close four miles of northbound SR 167 as they work on infrastructure to support a future HOV lane. The four-mile section of highway will remain closed 24 hours a day until it reopens at 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 23.

The closure, which will depend on the weather cooperating, “allows crews to complete key tasks before they can open a new high occupancy vehicle lane,” according to a WSDOT press release.

The closure will start at northbound SR 167 at the SR 410 interchange in Sumner and end at 8th Street East in Pacific. The 24th Street East on-ramp to northbound SR 167 will also be closed.

Approximately 50,000 vehicles use northbound SR 167 between Puyallup and Auburn every day, according to WSDOT.

WSDOT has designated two detour routes through the area, one for passenger vehicles and one for semi-trucks. But they are also asking motorists to simply avoid driving through the area that weekend, if possible.

“We can’t stress enough that these are local streets. We truly need a lot of people to simply not go through this area during the weekend closure,” WSDOT said. “We encourage travelers to add at least 90 minutes of travel time if you must go through the detour route.”

Drivers should be prepared for nearby highways SR 161, 169 and 99 to absorb some of the congestion, too, WSDOT said. Meanwhile, SR 164, which carries traffic between Auburn and Enumclaw, is still closed near the White River Amphitheatre for culvert and bridge work.

Alternate routes

WSDOT has shared the following maps of approved detour routes around the closures. The first is for passenger vehicles, while the second is designated for trucks.

Trucks should exit SR 410 by taking a right turn onto Traffic Avenue, which becomes Fryar Avenue, then turning left onto Tacoma Avenue to drive onto 142nd Avenue East. Then, follow the road as it curves left and becomes 24th Street East and take a right on West Valley Highway East for the rest of the detour, terminating at the three-way intersection with Ellingson Road.

For passengers, Sumner-Tapps Highway East is another option, reached by turning onto 166th Avenue East from SR 410.

A map of the passenger vehicle detour route during the weekend closure of SR 167, created by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

A map of the truck detour route during the weekend closure of SR 167, created by the Washington State Department of Transportation.