Washington State Route 507 Explained

State:WA
Type:SR
Route:507
Section:670
Map:Washington State Route 507.svg
Map Notes:SR 507 is highlighted in red.
Length Mi:43.52
Length Round:2
Length Ref:[1]
Established:1964[2]
Direction A:South
Terminus A: in Centralia
Junction: in Yelm
in McKenna
Direction B:North
Terminus B: in Spanaway
Counties:Lewis, Thurston, Pierce
Spur Type:I
Spur Of:5
Previous Type:SR
Previous Route:506
Next Type:SR
Next Route:508

State Route 507 (SR 507) is a Washington state highway in Lewis, Thurston and Pierce counties that extends 43.52miles from (I-5) and (US 12) in Centralia to in Spanaway. The highway also intersects in Yelm and in McKenna. The first appearance of the roadway on a map was in 1916 and since, two highways, (SSH 5H) and, were established on the current route of SR 507 in 1937 and 1943. They both became SR 507 during the 1964 highway renumbering.

Route description

State Route 507 (SR 507) begins at a diamond interchange with (I-5), co-signed as (US 12) in Centralia.[3] Traveling east as Mellen, Alder and West Cherry Streets,[1] the highway crosses railroad tracks owned by BNSF Railway and used by Amtrak's Cascades and Coast Starlight routes,[4] both of which serve the Centralia Amtrak station.[5] The roadway later intersects Pearl Street,[1] the only couplet on SR 507, which parallels Tower Avenue through Downtown Centralia.[6] The street then becomes Tower Avenue and turns north to pass the Centralia Amtrak station.[1] SR 507 realigns west as Sixth Street to intersect and become Pearl Street, once again traveling northeast as Downing Road to leave Centralia.[1] Still parallel to BNSF Railway tracks,[4] the road leaves Lewis County, enters Thurston County, passes Bucoda and turns north to intersect an old segment of in Tenino. Within Tenino, the highway stops paralleling the BNSF tracks and goes east through the city as Sussex Avenue and starts to parallel a route of the Tacoma Rail eastward out of the city.[4] Passing through Rainier as Binghampton Street, the roadway intersects the eastern terminus of in Yelm and then turns southeast as Yelm Avenue,[1] before leaving both Yelm and Thurston County to enter Pierce County on a bridge over the Nisqually River. Once in Pierce County, SR 507 intersects in McKenna and continues north as the Spanaway McKenna Highway to Roy, where the highway turns east and then northeast into Fort Lewis. Immediately after leaving Fort Lewis, the roadway ends at an intersection with in Spanaway.[7] [8] Between SR 510 in Yelm and SR 702 in McKenna, the roadway had an estimated daily average of 19,000 motorists in 2007, causing the segment to be the busiest on SR 507.[9] The busiest segment in 1970 was the Maple Street junction in Downtown Centralia, with an estimated daily average of 14,000 motorists.[10] SR 507 is also the southern segment of the East Pacific Highway, which runs from Centralia to Sumas.[11]

History

Sections of modern-day SR 507 were established as wagon roads as early as 1856, with the general corridor first appearing on maps in 1897.[12] In 1937, during the creation of the Primary and secondary highways, (SSH 5H) was established, running from Tenino to Spanaway.[13] A section of 507 houses the Tenino Downtown Historic District. In 1943,, running from Centralia to Tenino, was created.[14] In 1964, a highway renumbering replaced both SSH 5H and SSH 1N with SR 507.[2] [15]

WSDOT began construction of safety improvements to a section of SR 507 between Roy and Yelm in 1985 following a higher-than-average rate of collisions, especially those involving trees. Approximately 50 to 70 fir trees were removed to improve visibility despite opposition from local residents seeking to keep the highway's scenic qualities.[16] The highway's bridge over the Nisqually River in McKenna was replaced by a new span in 1987.[17] A left turn lane was installed at the Yew Street intersection east of the (I-5) and (US 12) interchange in Centralia on May 24, 2007.[18], when completed, is predicted to reduce congestion on SR 507.[19] A section of the highway near Rainier was renamed the Sgt. Justin. D. Norton Memorial Highway in 2017 to honor a local soldier.[20]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Highway Log: Planning Report, SR 2 to SR 971 . Washington State Department of Transportation . 2008 . July 17, 2009. Washington State Department of Transportation .
  2. Web site: 1964. RCW 47.17.670: State route No. 507. Washington State Legislature. July 17, 2009. Washington State Legislature.
  3. Web site: Washington State Department of Transportation . SR 5 – Exit 81; Junction SR 507 / Mullen Street . January 14, 2005 . July 17, 2009.
  4. Washington State Department of Transportation . 2008 . Washington State Rail System . . July 17, 2009.
  5. Web site: Amtrak . Amtrak – Stations – Centralia, WA (CTL) . 2009 . July 17, 2009.
  6. Web site: Washington State Department of Transportation . SR 507; Junction SR 507 CO Pearl . September 12, 2004 . July 17, 2009.
  7. Washington State Department of Transportation . 2008 . 2008–09 . Washington State Highways, 2008–2009 . E3, F3 . United States Geological Survey . 1:842,000 . July 17, 2009.
  8. . King, Pierce & Snohomish Counties Street Guide . 2008 . . 1:24,000 . The Thomas Guide series . 893, 912––913, 932 . 0-528-86671-0.
  9. Web site: 2007 Annual Traffic Report . Washington State Department of Transportation . 2007 . July 17, 2009.
  10. Web site: Annual Traffic Report, 1970 . . Washington State Department of Transportation . 1970 . 187–189 . July 17, 2009.
  11. Web site: Washington State Legislature . RCW 47.22.010: East Pacific highway . 1951 . July 17, 2009.
  12. Web site: January 2014 . Washington State's Historic State Roads: Historic Context for Island, Snohomish, King, Pierce, and Kitsap Counties . 175 . . April 3, 2022.
  13. Book: Washington State Legislature . Session Laws of the State of Washington . July 17, 2009 . 1937 . March 18, 1937 . Washington State Legislature . . 103 . Chapter 207: Classification of Public Highways . (g) Secondary State Highway No. 5H; beginning at a junction with Primary State Highway No. 5 in the vicinity south of Tacoma, thence in a southwesterly direction by the most feasible route by way of McKenna, Yelm, and Rainier, to Tenino to [on] Primary State Highway No. 1..
  14. Book: Washington State Legislature . Session Laws of the State of Washington . July 17, 2009 . 1943 . March 20, 1943 . Washington State Legislature . Olympia, Washington . 661 . Chapter 212: Public Highways . (n) Secondary State Highway No. 1N; beginning at Tenino, thence in a southerly direction by the most feasible route by way of Bucoda to the north corporate limits of the city of Centralia..
  15. Web site: Identification of State Highways . C. G. Prahl . Washington State Highway Commission, Department of Highways . December 1, 1965 . July 17, 2009.
  16. News: Ferguson . Dick . September 25, 1985 . Safety over scenery: The trees come down . A1 . The News Tribune . . April 3, 2022.
  17. Web site: September 2019 . SR 507 over Nisqually River (0013055A0000000) . . Federal Highway Administration . . April 3, 2022.
  18. SR 507 Safety Improvements at Yew Street in Centralia Scheduled for Thursday, May 24 . Washington State Department of Transportation . May 18, 2007 . July 17, 2009.
  19. Web site: Washington State Department of Transportation . SR 704 – Cross-Base Highway Project . 2009 . July 17, 2009.
  20. News: Orr . Jennifer . February 7, 2018 . Portion of State Route 507 Recently Renamed for Sgt. Justin Norton . . Centralia, Washington . October 1, 2018.