Grand opening set for new bridge over Highway 167 in Kent

Published 1:24 pm Monday, December 2, 2019

Grand opening set for new bridge over Highway 167 in Kent
1/3
Grand opening set for new bridge over Highway 167 in Kent
A new bridge over Highway 167 in Kent, under construction earlier this year, connects South 224th Street to the East Hill. FILE PHOTO, Kent Reporter
A map of the South 224th extension from 84th Avenue South to 94th Place South. COURTESY GRAPHIC, City of Kent

Elected officials, funding partners, project team and community members will celebrate the grand opening in Kent of the South 224th Street extension from 84th Avenue South over Highway 167 to 94th Place South.

The ribbon cutting is at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, on South 224th Street, just east of 84th Avenue South (next to the Ramada Inn, 22318 84th Ave. S.).

Over a decade in planning, review and construction have gone into this $35 million east-west corridor project, according to the city of Kent. This public-private partnership received significant funding support from the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and the state Legislature, along with local improvement district funds and traffic impact fees from developers.

The project benefits include:

• A new bridge over SR 167 connecting East Hill to the Valley

• Replacement of a narrow bridge with a fish passable culvert over Garrison Creek

• Riparian enhancements

• Traffic signal improvements

• Street lighting

• New three-lane roadway

• Water quality, detention and wetland mitigation

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with a new map of the South 224th Street extension.