SEATTLE, WA The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has awarded a contract to WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff to serve as general engineering consultant (GEC) on a planned extension of SR 167 in Tacoma, Washington.

The project will provide a better freight connection between the Port of Tacoma and the Puyallup/White River Valley and also link industrial and urban centers. SR 167 will be extended four miles westward to connect with I-5, and then continue as the SR 509 spur an additional two miles to connect with SR 509 near the Port of Tacoma. Five interchanges are planned at SR 509, 54th Avenue, I-5, Valley Avenue and SR 161.

As WSDOT's GEC, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff will manage the consultant and subconsultant team and design efforts in the following disciplines: roadway, hydraulics, stream realignment & riparian restoration, structures, geotechnical, wetland mitigation, utility relocation, traffic analysis, maintenance of traffic, illumination, signals, tolling and intelligent transportation systems. The firm will also assist with environmental permitting, local agency coordination in support of agreements, design support in the preparation of design-build or design-bid-build contract packages, and subsequent design support in review of the design submittals.

Construction on the extension is expected to start in 2019.