Carnation officials are pushing for the state and county to make safety improvements at the intersection of State Route 203 and Tolt Hill Road, after the intersection saw a pair of collisions over the weekend.
The collisions, which happened about 20 minutes apart on Aug. 14, were the fourth and fifth accidents at the intersection in the last four months, according to the city. It is unknown if there were fatalities or injuries.
While the intersection is a concern for city leaders, its improvements are mostly out of their control. The crossing, located at the entrance to Remlinger Farms and Tolt River Bridge, is a little over 200 feet south of city limits. It is jointly overseen by King County and Washington State Department of Transportation, who has jurisdiction over State Route 203.
A stakeholder meeting was held yesterday to discuss concerns at the intersection. The meeting was led by State Sen. Brad Hawkins, who represents the 12th Legislative District, and included representatives from the city, Remlinger Farms, King County, Snoqualmie Tribe, WSDOT and others.
“Sen. Hawkins’ leadership in this matter may just be the spark that has been lacking to influence prioritization of this intersection,” City Manager Ana Cortez said in a statement, noting the city will advocate for “proactive measures that are long overdue.”
City officials said they remained concerned with safety at the intersection, noting it has poor visibility, uneven grading and is frequently used by vehicles entering and leaving Carnation.
“Clearly there is a problem at Tolt Hill Road and SR 203,” City Councilmembers Tim Harris and Dustin Green said in a joint statement. “This pattern is not new.”
Safety issues at the intersection were identified as far back as 2005, according to a State Route 203 pilot study, which proposed adding a roundabout, traffic signal or turning lanes to address intersection safety.
In an email, Hawkins said his office became aware of the concerns last month, and invited stakeholders to discuss possible short-term improvements and long term solutions. Short term solutions, such as improved signage, new roadway paint, real-time speed displays and rumble strips are likely possible with existing agency funds and could be made available quickly, he said. A long-term solution, including a proposed round-a-bout, would require more time.
“A collaborative process to identify the appropriate long-term solution could take a year or more of meeting, planning, and cost estimating,” he wrote.
Editor’s note: This story has been update to add information.
