Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Commissioners adopt changes to speed limit schedule for eight county roads after public hearing
Loading...
Summary
After a hybrid public hearing with more than a dozen public commenters, the Board adopted an ordinance revising speed limits on eight county roads — including lowering several unposted 50 mph stretches to 30 mph and adjusting other posted limits — and directed staff to install signage and notify law enforcement.
The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners held a hybrid public hearing on Aug. 19 and adopted an ordinance that revises the county speed limit schedule for eight county roads. Traffic engineering staff and members of the public testified before the board, and commissioners voted to adopt the changes.
Becky Khan, traffic engineering and operations manager for Thurston County Public Works, described the county’s process for speed-limit revisions, citing compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, RCW 46.61.0415 (local speed-setting authority) and Thurston County code 12.105 and Resolution 16142. Khan said staff use 85th-percentile speed data, a 10-mph pace, collision history and roadway characteristics and noted that many requests do not justify an engineering change.
Khan said several roads were already signed in the field but missing from the official schedule; others reflected engineering study results. The board approved the proposed changes as presented; staff will install signage and coordinate enforcement notification with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
The ordinance adopted these specific changes (current → proposed): - Albany Street SW, US-12 to Little Rock Rd SW: unposted 50 → 30 (already posted in field; schedule alignment). - Little Rock Rd SW, Albany St SW to near 108th Way SW: unposted 50 → 30. - Little Rock Rd SW, 130th Ave SW to 120th 8th Ave SW (near Little Rock Elementary): unposted 50 → 30. - Case Extension Rd SW, 113th Ave SW to dead end: posted 40 → 25 (short residential road). - Pleasant Glade Rd NE, Abernathy Rd NE to Lacey city limits: unposted 50 → 25 (consistency with Lacey’s 25 mph in annexed section). - Sleater Kinney Rd NE, South Bay Rd NE to 56 (turn-in to 56/50th Ave): posted 50 → 40 (narrow roadway, no shoulders, steep side slopes). - 50th Ave NE, Shanky Rd NE to Sleater Kinney Rd NE: posted 50 → 40. - Wilkinson Rd SE, Yelm city limits to Ordway Drive SE: unposted 50 → 35 (consistency with Yelm limits).
Khan summarized public outreach: a mailer to adjacent residents and the compiled written comments received. Public comment at the hearing included more than a dozen speakers; many supported lower limits on Little Rock, Pleasant Glade and Sleater Kinney and described safety concerns for pedestrians, school buses, bicyclists and wildlife. Several speakers also questioned whether posting alone would change driving behavior and discussed traffic-calming alternatives such as speed humps (staff said speed-hump programs are available for 25-mph residential streets and have a separate application and funding process).
After public comment, commissioners moved to adopt the ordinance amending the Thurston County speed limit schedule. The motion and second carried; commissioners directed staff to install the updated signage and coordinate with law enforcement to inform patrols of the changes.
The adopted changes become effective when signs are installed; staff said they will notify the public and the sheriff’s office and that the Zoom recording and supporting materials would be posted to the county website.
