Upgrades are coming to people who travel on SR 167 from Auburn to Renton

Construction begins in late 2023 on project that will update the SR 167 toll system and construct an auxiliary lane

KENT - On July 14, the Washington State Department of Transportation awarded the design-build contract for the SR 167 Corridor Improvements Project. This project will update the State Route 167 toll system to create consistency along the Interstate 405 and SR 167 corridor and add an auxiliary lane southbound on SR 167.

Contractor Northup-Elcon Joint Venture's $83.9 million bid had the winning combination of price and technical expertise, meeting the "apparent best value" bid requirements. Design-build contracts combine final project design and construction into a single contract.

"Upgrading the SR 167 toll equipment will result in a continuous 50-mile I-405/SR 167 express toll lane system and a consistent customer experience in the express toll lanes," said Lisa Hodgson, WSDOT I-405/SR 167 Program Administrator. "Motorists will be able to transition seamlessly from the I-405 to the SR 167 express toll lanes, a significant milestone in providing continuity and reliable travel options along the corridor."

About the project

WSDOT is upgrading the SR 167 toll system because the current toll equipment is reaching the end of its operating life. The benefits of the upgraded toll system include:

• New payment options.
• New toll rate signs for destination-based toll pricing.
• Double white buffer lines between the general purpose and express toll lanes in select areas.
• The addition of photo tolling, which will give more drivers the option to choose express toll lanes on SR 167, including those without accounts.

Re-striping the SR 167 lanes will improve reliability for drivers by allowing motorists to enter and exit the toll lanes only in certain areas, which keeps traffic moving. Crews will install signage to notify drivers of upcoming toll lane ingress/egress locations and freeway exits to ensure that drivers have enough space to maneuver to their desired destinations.

The project will also create a new auxiliary lane on southbound SR 167 between the SR 516 and South 277th Street interchanges. This new lane will give travelers more space to merge or change lanes when entering or exiting the highway. Auxiliary lanes help improve traffic operations and safety performance on state highways.

Once the project is complete, travelers will experience new, modern SR 167 express toll lanes that tie into the Renton to Bellevue I-405 express toll lane system, currently under construction, and the express toll lanes to Lynnwood, which opened to the public in 2015. The long-term vision includes a 50-mile express toll lane system between SR 512 in Puyallup and the I-405/I-5 interchange in Lynnwood.

The project is funded by toll revenue and the Connecting Washington transportation revenue package.

Construction is expected to begin in late 2023 and open to traffic in 2025.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.