Shovels dug in and the dirt went flying on July 15, 2026, as dozens of local dignitaries celebrated the beginning of the end for the $2.83 billion State Route 167 Completion Project in Pierce County, Washington.
The groundbreaking ceremony is a major milestone for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), marking the start of construction on the fourth and final stage of the project, which is part of WSDOT's Puget Sound Gateway Program that includes the State Route 509 Completion Project in King County. The final stage is scheduled to open to the public in September 2029.
The SR 167 Completion Project completes a critical missing link in the state's highway network. Its completion gives freight a more direct link to and from the Port of Tacoma. Area commuters will also be able to use the new highway and benefit from fewer large trucks on surface streets.
"The Puget Sound Gateway Program is a critical investment in Washington's future. By improving key freight corridors, we're strengthening our economy, supporting family-wage jobs and ensuring goods move efficiently throughout the region," said Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith said. "Just as importantly, these improvements make travel safer and more reliable for the people who live and work here every day."
"The program is about connecting our ports to the manufacturing and industrial centers along SR 167, the east side of our state and beyond – creating a more reliable freight corridor that supports job growth across the region," said state Rep. Jake Fey, who is the House Transportation chair. "Exports are a key driver of job growth and prosperity. When our ports succeed, the entire region wins."
Kraemer-Scarsella Joint Venture won the $475 million contract to build the last segment of the new SR 167 Expressway, or Stage 2b. This 2.6-mi. section between North Meridian Avenue in Puyallup and Interstate 5 in Fife is the final section of the 6-mi. tolled expressway that will stretch to State Route 509 near the Port of Tacoma.
"The SR 167 Completion Project is also a testament to close collaboration with our partners," said Puget Sound Gateway Program Administrator Ricky Bhalla. "The Puyallup Tribe of Indians, the Port of Tacoma, legislators, Pierce County, and the cities of Fife, Tacoma, Edgewood, Sumner and Puyallup all played vital roles. Other local and state agencies and people who live and work here joined us to imagine, design, fund and build this project. Their support has been vital, and we thank them."
"This project provides benefits beyond travel," said John White, WSDOT assistant secretary for Urban Mobility, Access and Megaprograms. "Crews have rehabilitated more than 150 acres of wetlands, built new trails and completed connections to existing regional and local trails. This is truly a project that produces benefits not just for freight, but also enhances access for people who walk, bike and roll, while also supporting fish and wildlife habitat for years to come."
Crews have built the expressway in stages since construction began in 2019:
Stage 1a: WSDOT built the Wapato Way East bridge and a new multi-lane roundabout connecting State Route 99 and Wapato Way, which opened to traffic in June 2021.
Stage 1b: WSDOT is building 2 mi. of the SR 167 Expressway between I-5 and SR 509 near the Port of Tacoma, including interchanges at SR 509, 54th Avenue East and a new diverging diamond interchange over I-5. It's scheduled to open in September. This stage also includes approximately 165 acres of wetland and stream restoration and begins construction of the spuyalÉpabš Trail.
Stage 2a: WSDOT is widening SR 167 between North Meridian Avenue and State Route 410, building a diverging diamond interchange at North Meridian Avenue and continuing construction on a segment of the spuyalÉpabš Trail. It's scheduled to open in September 2029.
Stage 2b: WSDOT is building 2.6 miles of the SR 167 Expressway between North Meridian Avenue and I-5, completing WSDOT's portion of the spuyalÉpabš Trail and the State Route 161/North Meridian Avenue and I-5 diverging diamond interchanges and performing about 90 acres of wetland mitigation and restoration. The expressway is scheduled to open to travelers in September 2029.
Construction on Stage 2b ramped up the same day as the groundbreaking ceremony.
Crews are hauling in dirt to build the new expressway embankment near Freeman Road East and Valley Avenue East and beginning efforts to restore Wapato Creek.
The bulk of the project area is within the boundaries of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. WSDOT partnered with the tribe to restore its natural land. In addition to completing the new spuyalÉpabš Trail, crews will perform about 90 acres of wetland mitigation and restoration. ♣
