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In a bid to improve safety and alleviate congestion along State Route 507, Thurston County Public Works confirmed the future construction of three roundabouts at intersections in Thurston and Pierce counties.
Public Works Senior Civil Engineer Marcus Storvick stated during the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) agenda-setting meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that the projects are part of a multi-agency effort to modernize the high-traffic corridor.
The roundabouts shall serve as a vital alternate route to Interstate 5 and a primary access road for Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), freight carriers and daily commuters.
According to the Thurston County Public Works, the roundabouts will be built at:
SR 507 & Vail Road SE — Thurston County’s roundabout project is the most developed of the three. The project will require a nine-month closure of Vail Road SE from August 2026 to July 2027 to allow for construction.
SR 507 & Bald Hills Road — The City of Yelm is in-charge of this roundabout, which is currently in the advanced planning stage as of February 2025.
SR 507 & SR 702 — Pierce County is leading this project, which remains in the early coordination phase as of February 2025.
Storvick emphasized the importance of collaboration between agencies.
“There are three roundabout projects built on 507, so we’ve been coordinating a lot with the City of Yelm because their roundabout at the intersection of Bald Hills Road is well on its way,” he shared.
He also added, “The other roundabout at State Route 702. I don’t think Pierce County is as far, so there’s not as much coordination with that one, but there has been some coordination with the City of Yelm for sure.”
For years, state officials and residents have voiced concerns about safety along SR 507.
The highway carries over 21,000 vehicles per day, including freight trucks, passenger vehicles and agricultural equipment.
A Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) predesign study found the SR 507 and Vail Road SE intersection alone recorded 58 crashes and two fatalities in the past decade.
The roundabout projects are part of WSDOT’s Target Zero initiative that targets eliminating severe and fatal crashes on state highways by 2030.
“This will help manage travel speeds, reduce conflict points, and enhance overall safety," Storvick said.
“It will handle vehicles of all sizes, including emergency vehicles, buses, bicycles, semitrucks, and farm and logging equipment,” he added.
As part of the planning process, an environmental review has already been conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations.
The review assessed potential impacts on air quality, noise levels, water resources, and local wildlife, confirming that the project meets necessary environmental standards.
To support the infrastructure improvements, the Washington Legislature has allocated $7 million from the 2023-25 state budget for the SR 507 & Vail Road SE Roundabout Project.
The funding is part of the Move Ahead Washington initiative, with additional financial backing from the Climate Commitment Act (CCA).
Furthermore, the BoCC has acknowledged the impact of legislative partnerships in securing the necessary resources needed for the projects.
BoCC Commissioner Carolina Mejia recognized the contributions of Representative Andrew Barkis, who played a role in obtaining funding for the project.
As a result, she suggested formal outreach to sustain communication and partnership.
In response, Storvick confirmed that engagement with the office of Rep. Barkis is ongoing. He also stated that actions are being taken to keep the representative updated on the project’s progress and a formal invitation will be extended for further discussions.
As part of the construction process, the SR 507 & Vail Road SE roundabout will necessitate a nine-month closure of Vail Road SE.
A 3-mile detour will reroute traffic via Bald Hill Road and SR 507 to minimize disruptions, though commuters should anticipate an additional seven minutes of travel time.
“Temporarily closing the road is the safest, least expensive and quickest option to successfully complete the project,” Storvick explained.
He added, “We will not be preventing access to any private property.”
For transparency and to keep the public informed, Thurston County will host a public open house on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Prairie Elementary School.
The meeting will provide a chance for community members to ask questions, voice concerns, and receive further details about the project timeline and detour plans.
Looking ahead, county officials view early outreach as a great step in preparing residents for the upcoming changes.
According to the officials, by providing information well in advance, the county can facilitate a smooth transition and address any concerns that may arise before construction begins.
In the project briefing, Thurston County Public Works stated that the SR 507 & Vail Road SE Roundabout Project is set to follow an estimated timeline for in planning and construction.
The project timeline is as follows:
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the name of the state representative referenced in the "History of crashes, delays, funding and support" section of the story. The representative is Andrew Barkis.
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Pacifca815
In the first sentence of this article, I beg to differ that these roundabouts here in Olympia and Lacey (or anywhere else for that matter) DO NOT "improve safety and alleviate congestion" for the simple fact people here in the U.S. have no clue how to use them properly and efficiently unless they have spent time in the UK or Europe and have learned how to handle them. I have seen so many accidents with the roundabouts here, plus plenty of congestion because people don't know how to properly use them! If you want more efficient and safe traffic here...invest in the computer assisted traffic lights that assess the ongoing traffic and automatically adjusts in how the lights work AND, not only activate the left turn signals that are not being used and that need to be used. But definitely keep all of the existing 4-corner intersections and stop adding in more roundabouts here!
Monday, February 17 Report this
Buffie
I have to agree--at least at the corner of Vail and 507, that a smart signal would be a MUCH better and surely less expensive alternative to the massively complex engineering requirements in that location. Overcoming the challenges of the canal, the hill, and the traffic disruption while constructing a huge roundabout there shout No very loudly to me. I'd prefer my taxpayer dollars were used much more prudently.
Tuesday, February 18 Report this
WhamboMPS
I have to take exception to the previous two comments. Yes, Americans aren't very familiar with roundabouts. And yes, that unfamiliarity leads to unnecessary slowness and even accidents. However, roundabouts are much, much safer that the signalized intersections that they replace.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS, the organization that rates the safety of vehicles), analyzed data on "24 intersections before and after construction of roundabouts." The result:
"The study found a 39 percent overall decrease in crashes and a 76 percent decrease in injury-producing crashes. Collisions involving fatal or incapacitating injuries fell as much as 90 percent."
Anyway, it is a canard to say that adding traffic lights will save money. This is from WSDOT:
"Traffic signals are expensive systems. A typical basic traffic signal system will cost around $250,000 just for the signal system installation. If this is the entire construction project, this cost will be closer to $500,000 or more, as things like engineering, work zone traffic control, and supporting construction work is included in the project."
Yes, a lot of people don't like roundabouts. However, when you look at the facts, roundabouts save a lot of lives. I recommend people become familiar with them.
IIHS study here: https://www.k-state.edu/roundabouts/news/sr3505.pdf
WSDOT data here: https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/operations-services/traffic-signals
Tuesday, February 18 Report this
Merlyn
Please, also include, in every driver ed class set-up, have available at every DOL site, enclosed in every vehicle tab/license renewal notice envelope, the instructions on how to correctly negotiate roundabouts!! It might actually get the majority of drivers on board!
Saturday, February 22 Report this