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Residents and council discuss traffic, roundabouts and Yelm loop progress
Summary
A resident urged faster completion of bypass and loop projects after a recent congestion event; city staff and councilors described the funding and permitting constraints and timelines for roundabouts and the Yelm loop extension.
A resident described heavy traffic and long delays after a recent event and urged Yelm officials to prioritize the proposed bypass and Yelm loop extensions that would route trucks away from downtown.
Why it matters: the resident said a long backup blocked local streets and made right turns for large trucks difficult, and urged the council to pursue a bypass before additional roundabouts are installed.
Liz Foreman, who lives on Cook Road near Stewart’s Arena, said a recent closure caused two‑mile backups on local roads and that big trucks struggled to make right turns through downtown during the incident. Foreman asked that the bypass extension to Walmart and a proposed bridge or extension be completed to reduce heavy truck traffic downtown.
City staff and councilors responded that the Yelm loop/extension project is dependent on state funding and approvals and that some roundabouts are moving faster because the city is managing those projects as a pilot with state funds. The council said utility relocation is underway for the loop and that construction bidding is expected this year; staff advised the timeline is intended to sequence work to limit traffic impacts where possible.
Councilors and staff thanked the resident for the comment and noted they and regional partners (including the EDC) are pressing the state legislature and WSDOT for funding and to accelerate the loop work.
Ending: Council members asked staff to continue coordinating with regional partners and the state and noted the loop and roundabout projects are at different stages of funding and construction.
