Washington State Route 117 Explained

State:WA
Type:SR
Route:117
Alternate Name:Tumwater Truck Road
POW/MIA Memorial Highway
Section:221
Map:Washington State Route 117.svg
Map Notes:SR 117 is highlighted in red.
Length Mi:1.40
Length Round:2
Length Ref:[1]
Established:1991[2] [3]
Direction A:South
Terminus A: in Port Angeles
Direction B:North
Terminus B:Marine Drive in Port Angeles
Spur Type:US
Spur Of:101
Previous Type:SR
Previous Route:116
Next Type:SR
Next Route:119

State Route 117 (SR 117) is a short, 1.42NaN2 long state highway located entirely within Port Angeles, the county seat of Clallam County, in the U.S. state of Washington. The short roadway, named the Tumwater Truck Route, serves the waterfront of Port Angeles and intersects two streets and crosses under another street on a short bridge. Beginning at an interchange with (US 101), the highway travels northeast to terminate at Marine Drive. SR 117 was first established in 1991, but a road parallel to the current roadway had existed since 1966.

Route description

SR 117 begins as the Tumwater Truck Road at an interchange with (US 101) in southwest Port Angeles. The interchange only serves traffic from US 101 eastbound driving onto SR 117 northbound and motorists driving from the route southbound onto US 101 westbound, however, left turns are allowed to serve the missing movements.[4] Traveling north, the highway intersects Lauridsen Boulevard and crosses under 8th Street. Between 8th Street and the Port Angeles waterfront, a daily average of 7,400 motorists accessed the roadway in 2008.[5] After the 8th Street bridge, the road intersects 3rd Street and terminates at Marine Drive, which continues east as 1st Street to US 101.[6]

History

SR 117 was designated in 1991,[2] but a short local street connecting the waterfront with (US 101) had existed for several decades under local maintenance.[7] The Tumwater Truck Road was approved for construction by the Port Angeles city government in 1954 to detour logging truck traffic away from residential neighborhoods.[8] It was constructed at a cost of $250,000, shared with the county and state governments, along the existing Tumwater Canyon.[9] The unfinished road was opened to traffic in July 1956, with logging truck drivers encouraged to use the graded road to prepare it for paving.[10] In 1991, the state government added the truck road to the state highway system, assigning SR 117 as its designation.[3]

During a severe winter storm on November 27, 2006, the Port Angeles Police Department closed both ends of the highway due to treacherous conditions.[11] On December 15, 2006, a wind storm caused trees near the roadway to block the highway and the route had to be shut down.[12] On August 7, 2007, the city of Port Angeles announced that the 8th Street bridge over the Tumwater Truck Route would be closed on August 20, 2007.[13] A detour was set for both 8th Street and the truck route; trucks were routed onto US 101 (Lincoln Street) and Marine Drive / Front Street.[14] Starting on April 1, 2008, the new bridge's girders started to arrive at the construction site.[15] The last girders arrived on April 9 and the highway was reopened.[16] [17] On August 1, the roadway was closed for another month to be reconstructed.[18] SR 117 was designated as the POW/MIA Memorial Highway by the state transportation commission in 2013.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Highway Log: Planning Report, SR 2 to SR 971 . Washington State Department of Transportation . 2008 . August 12, 2009. Washington State Department of Transportation .
  2. Web site: 1991 . RCW 47.17.221: State route No. 117 . Washington State Legislature. August 12, 2009. Washington State Legislature.
  3. Web site: Chapter 342, Laws of 1991: State Highway Routes — Revisions To (House Bill 5801) . 1991 . Washington House of Representatives . Washington State Legislature . August 12, 2009 . Washington House of Representatives . August 4, 2012 . https://archive.today/20120804092641/http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/1991-92/Htm/Bills/Session%20Law%201991/5801.SL.htm . dead .
  4. Web site: Washington State Department of Transportation . SR 101; Junction SR 117 / Doyle Road . June 25, 2009 . August 12, 2009 . October 8, 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061008163033/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/tdo/interchange/pdfs/SR101/101X246.pdf . dead .
  5. Web site: 2008 Annual Traffic Report . Washington State Department of Transportation . 2008 . August 12, 2009 . June 16, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100616135704/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/mapsdata/tdo/PDF_and_ZIP_Files/Annual_Traffic_Report_2008.pdf . dead .
  6. . Pacific Northwest: Washington, Oregon, Western Idaho, Southwestern British Columbia . 6th . 2004 . . 1 inch = 3,800 feet . The Thomas Guide . 261 . 0-528-99511-1.
  7. . . Victoria, 1966 . 1966 . 1:250,000 . August 12, 2009.
  8. News: Ivey . R. S. . November 28, 1956 . City Council Action on New Tumwater Truck Route Reviewed . 2 . . . May 3, 2021.
  9. News: Kiuchi . Ats . May 30, 1956 . Log Truck Roar on New Route Fulfills Longtime Dream . 8 . Port Angeles Evening News . Newspapers.com . May 3, 2021.
  10. News: July 16, 1956 . Truckers Encouraged To Use New Approach Route Into City . 1 . Port Angeles Evening News . Newspapers.com . May 3, 2021.
  11. News: KONP staff . Snow problems continue for Peninsula . . . November 27, 2006 . August 12, 2009 . Port Angeles Police closed both ends of the Tumwater Truck Route earlier this morning due to treacherous conditions..
  12. News: KONP staff . Winds roar through PA, downing . KONP . Port Angeles, Washington . December 15, 2006 . August 12, 2009 . Yet more trees are down on the Tumwater Truck Route..
  13. News: KONP staff . Firm date set for 8th Street bridge shutdown . KONP . Port Angeles, Washington . August 7, 2007 . August 12, 2009.
  14. Traffic Management: Port Angeles 8th Street Bridge Replacement Project . City of Port Angeles, Washington . 2007 . August 12, 2009 . October 6, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006084938/http://www.cityofpa.us/PDFs/Bridges/Detours1.pdf . dead .
  15. News: KONP staff . Huge girders coming for new 8th Street bridge . KONP . Port Angeles, Washington . March 27, 2008 . August 12, 2009.
  16. News: KONP staff . Last bridge girders arrive, Truck Route reopens . KONP . Port Angeles, Washington . April 9, 2008 . August 12, 2009.
  17. News: KONP staff . Girders placed, traffic rolls on Truck Route . KONP . Port Angeles, Washington . April 10, 2008 . August 12, 2009.
  18. News: KONP staff . PA's Truck Route to close for a month . KONP . Port Angeles, Washington . August 1, 2008 . August 12, 2009.
  19. News: September 20, 2013 . Ceremony to mark truck route's new designation as POW/MIA highway . . October 1, 2018.

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