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Hoh Tribe asks legislature for $8 million to build turn lanes on Highway 101 to improve reservation access
Summary
The Hoh Tribe testified that a prior partial turn pocket on Highway 101 did not address northbound safety and is seeking $8 million to construct north‑ and southbound turn lanes and associated culvert work to improve safety and emergency access
Representatives of the Hoh Tribe told the Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 14 that a safety improvement at their Highway 101 reservation was not fully funded in the governor’s proposed transportation budget and requested $8,000,000 to build both northbound and southbound turn lanes.
Mara Michalski said the tribe has designed documents and DOT cost estimates for the project and explained the local context: Highway 101 in that remote area of the Olympic Peninsula experiences heavy logging traffic on a two-lane highway that is often dark and icy. Pegan Frank, a lobbyist testifying with the tribe, said the legislature previously allocated $600,000 toward the project but DOT built only a southbound turn pocket that does not allow safe northbound access from a sharp hill; school buses and logging trucks continue to face hazards. The tribe told the committee it plans to submit a budget request through the 24th Legislative District for $8,000,000 to fund full turn lanes and associated culvert work.
Witnesses emphasized long emergency response times in the area—Forks is roughly 45 minutes to an hour away—and urged lawmakers to fund the project to reduce collision risk and improve school-bus safety. Their request was entered into the hearing record.
