Project News
- Final design for the first phase of City Center Access improvements is now underway! In the upcoming months, you may see our team out in the field conducting surveys to better understand above and below ground conditions in the city center to support design. Our team will share more information about what you can expect as this work approaches.
- The project team is coordinating closely with partners like WSDOT and Sound Transit as work progresses.
- In January 2024, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved the State Transportation Improvement Program, which included funding for final design and right of way acquisition for Phase 1 of the City Center Access Project. Read on to learn what this work will include.
Project Overview
- Our city is growing and the City of Federal Way wants to help people get where they need to go, whether they are walking, rolling, biking, riding transit, or driving. The City Center Access project will add and improve connections to central gathering places and services for the community by:
- Strengthening traffic operations with an eye on long-term growth in employment and housing.
- Increasing safety and efficiency for people traveling by car, transit, bike or walking.
- Reducing dependency on cars by improving transit, pedestrian, and bicycle connections.
View our project fact sheet here.
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Consulte la hoja informativa del proyecto City Center Access aquí
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Project Schedule
About the City Center Access Project
Sustained growth has strained I-5 and local streets in Federal Way’s City Center. As more people move to the area, traffic will continue to increase. Traffic delays during the afternoon are approaching unacceptable levels, even with the expansion of mass transit.
The City of Federal Way is working to ease traffic congestion in the area around S 320th Street between SR 99/Pacific Highway and Military Road S. The City initiated work to determine which transportation system changes were needed to preserve future mobility in the City Center in 2004. The City put the project on hold in 2009 after the City Council considered community input and selected the No Build Alternative. The City re-initiated the Federal Way City Center Access Project in fall 2017 to address a growing problem with traffic delays, safety and mobility for drivers, transit, pedestrians and bicyclists. Early work involved evaluating a suite of alternatives to identify solutions that would meet the needs of the community. In November 2019, the Federal Way City Council unanimously approved a set of approvements, known as the City Center Access preferred alternative.
Following the approval of the preferred alternative, the City and a project support team have been busy refining the preferred alternative and preparing environmental documentation for the project. In January 2024, the City received funding from the State Transportation Improvement Program to finalize design of the Phase 1 improvements. Once environmental documentation is complete, the City will move forward with obtaining permits and acquiring right of way for the Phase 1 improvements. The City will apply for more funding to construct the Phase 1 improvements and to advance the remaining phases of the project.
The City has been working to develop solutions with community members and partners at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), Sound Transit, Pierce Transit, South King Fire and Rescue, King County, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and the Snoqualmie Tribe. This project supports the visions and goals outlined in the City of Federal Way’s Comprehensive Plan. The project is also included in the City of Federal Way’s 6-Year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).
What is the solution?
Based on analysis from April 2018 to early 2019, the project team concluded that modifications to I-5 access, in addition to local elements, are essential to address the needs established by the City Center Access Study. Since 2019, the City of Federal Way’s City Center Access project team has worked to advance preliminary design and environmental documentation for a preferred alternative that will improve access to the City Center, the area designated for the City’s highest growth.
Based on the availability of funding and the timeline for environmental review, the City will split final design and construction of improvements into phases. The following improvements are included in Phase 1, which is funded for final design and right of way acquisition:
- Modifying the S 320th Street interchange to add access to S 324th Street from southbound I-5, with a roundabout at the S 324th Street freeway on- and off-ramps.
- Extending and widening S 324th Street from SR 99 to the new S 324th Street freeway ramp.
- Building a new roundabout on S 324th Street at 23rd Avenue S.
- Improving stormwater facilities and fish passage to reconnect streams and improve overall water quality.
- Adding a new multi-use path along S 324th Street and 23rd Avenue S to support a connection to the BPA Trail and Federal Way Transit Center.
Future phases of this project will include the remaining improvements in the preferred alternative:
- Building an I-5 overcrossing and extending S 324th Street from the southbound freeway on- and off-ramps to Weyerhaeuser Way S for people to walk, bike, or drive.
- Building a new roundabout on S 324th Street at Weyerhaeuser Way S.
- Modifying the S 320th Street interchange to add access to S 324th Street from northbound I-5, with a roundabout at the S 324th Street freeway on- and off-ramps.
- Replacing the S 320th Street bridge over I-5 with a wider bridge and providing high occupancy vehicle lanes on S 320th Street from SR 99 to Military Road S.
- Improving stormwater facilities and fish passage to reconnect streams and improve overall water quality.
- Extending the multi-use path along S 324th Street to support a connection to the BPA Trail.
Environmental Analysis
As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Federal Way is evaluating how the project may affect people and the surrounding environment. The environmental analysis includes the consideration of wetlands and streams, fish and wildlife, noise, cultural resources, hazardous materials, and impacts to homes and businesses.
Learn about our findings by clicking through the reports below:
Community engagement
The City began working with the community on the City Center Access Study in late 2017 to learn about the issues currently facing the City Center, including specific problem areas and potential solutions. After holding stakeholder interviews, community briefings, tabling events, a public in-person open house and an online open house, the City summarized community feedback about the proposed solutions in the 2019 outreach report. In November 2019, the City Council voted unanimously to move forward with planning a modified I-5 interchange with an overcrossing at S 324th Street and extended I-5 access ramps serving S 320th and S 324th streets.
During Preliminary Design and Environmental Analysis, the project team held a series of virtual and in-person community events including a design workshop, an online open house, and briefings for partner agencies, project neighbors, businesses and organizations serving environmental justice population. The project team incorporated community feedback, which is summarized in the 2022 outreach report, into preliminary design and environmental documentation.
We will continue to offer opportunities for community members to share their feedback and stay up to date as the project moves forward.
Talk to Us!
We look forward to collaborating with you to make Federal Way a great place to live and work for generations to come. Please contact us with questions or comments:
City Center Access Project Manager: Rick Perez, P.E., City Traffic Engineer; Rick.Perez@cityoffederalway.com; 253-835-2740
Interested in keeping up with the project? Sign up for project updates via email here.