A 2009 study done by the state determined that a new interchange on Interstate 5 in North Lewis County is feasible and needed.
The Washington State Department of Transportation in the study wrote that the next step would be preliminary engineering, traffic analysis and an environmental review; however, both WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration would have to approve the project.
The Board of County Commissioners on Monday approved a consultant for another study, the North Lewis County Industrial Access Study, to consider other options in the area, including an interchange. Lewis County Public Works Director Tim Elsea said the study will consider the vision, goals and purpose for the project.
Shea, Carr & Jewell Inc., based in Olympia, was chosen to conduct the study out of three firms interviewed by a panel made up of representatives with WSDOT, Lewis and Thurston counties, Centralia and The Chehalis Tribe.
“It was quite a collaborative effort,” Elsea said.
Elsea said the panel was nearly unanimous in its decision to select Shea, Carr & Jewell.
When meeting with the firm to discuss the scope of work, Elsea said different alternatives could include building an interchange, improvements to existing roads and constructing new roads to improve access to the industrial park.
After the study, the next step will be to finalize the scope of work and determine which direction to go with the project, Elsea said.
“We’re going to take into account all of the stakeholder concerns and make sure that whatever solution that we come up with will address those concerns,” Elsea said.
Whichever alternative is determined to be the best option, the environmental, social and engineering concerns will be investigated, he said.
The county has set aside $500,000 to explore alternatives for the project. The study will cost $138,164 and is expected to take three to four months, Elsea said.
This past session, the Legislature scheduled $50.5 million for the project in the transportation budget for the 2025-27 biennium.
“This is a very exciting project. This is a project that can help our county … and maybe even change the future of our county to move forward,” Elsea said, adding that the improved access would bring jobs.
