In response to local concerns about traffic congestion due to regional growth, Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chairman Reagan Dunn announced that the adopted 2017-18 King County budget includes funds to study and determine solutions for traffic congestion on Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast.
"As a council we had a lot of tough decisions to make throughout the budget process," Dunn said. "I am glad we were able to include funding for this important study even with the serious constraints to the roads fund."
Jointly funded by King County and the City of Issaquah, the $175,000 study will be conducted from Front Street South through the corridor between State Route 18 and Northwest Gilman Boulevard.
The goal of the study is to come up with short, intermediate and potential long term solutions to traffic congestion on Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast.
"Much of Issaquah’s congestion starts beyond our borders as regional traffic uses Issaquah-Hobart Road to reach Interstate 90 and SR 18," Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler said. "Finding regional solutions is essential, and I applaud King County for joining us to address the challenge of Issaquah-Hobart Road. We cannot tackle traffic alone."
In August, the Issaquah City Council approved funding for the City’s portion of the study.