Traffic Safety in Fairwood

Common questions from community

As we get more questions, we will add them here. 

What is the County doing to control excessive speeding on 140 Ave SE?
In April 2023, two permanent radar speed feedback signs were installed on 140 Ave SE, near the intersections of SE 186 St and SE 181 St.

Five more speed radar signs will be added along 140th Ave SE and SE Petrovitsky Road to help slow down traffic.

The King County Sheriff’s Office, the only agency authorized to enforce speed limits in unincorporated King County, should be alerted to concerns about speeding. You may request enforcement by calling 911 for this non-emergency issue or report it online at Traffic Complaint Reporting - King County, Washington. It is helpful to share times of the day when you observe speeding.


Are there any other initiatives planned to control speeding in Fairwood?
The King County Target Zero Traffic Safety Coalition has announced a new pilot program that provides real-time, educational feedback to motorists in an effort to reduce unsafe driving.

Four “smart signs” will rotate between 12 locations in King County, staying at each for eight weeks at a time. The pilot program includes installing smart signs in Fairwood on 140 Ave SE between SE 156 St and SE Fairwood Blvd in June 2024.


“Smart signs” being tested in four locations will display a warning after certain unsafe driver behaviors are detected. The signs do not take photographs or collect personal information.

The signs will detect whether drivers are distracted, wearing their seat belts, or speeding, and display appropriate messaging that is relevant to each driver.

Learn more on the Target Zero website.


Is it possible to build a roundabout at 140 Ave SE and SE 186 St?
Roundabouts are one type of traffic management which, apart from aiming to reduce crashes, need to strike a balance between safety and the movement of all road users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.

We do not currently have plans to construct a roundabout at this intersection. We maintain a prioritized list of intersections for installation of roundabouts or other improvements in comparison to other intersections throughout unincorporated King County. Currently, roundabouts are installed at select high crash locations, where we also consider other factors to determine their suitability.

We are exploring other ways to calm traffic along the entire 140 Ave SE corridor, especially aggressive driving, and excessive speeding.


If the intersection met the conditions for a roundabout, would the County build it?
Once an intersection is placed on the approved location list for a new roundabout, the next step is to find money to design and build it. There are many more large infrastructure projects that meet the requirements to build than the County can afford to build. This is because King County does not have enough money to build and maintain new infrastructure at the rate that it is needed. There also is limited funding to maintain the infrastructure we already have, such as filling potholes, clearing out roadside ditches and bridge and sidewalk repair work.

How much does it cost to build a new roundabout?
A roundabout costs between $5 million and $7 million dollars. The County must widen the entire intersection to build a roundabout. Roundabouts take up a lot more space than a typical intersection. In most cases, approximately 10 percent of the total project cost is used to purchase land on all four corners of the intersection. Buying real estate is costly and takes time.  It can take up to five years to buy the real estate and build a roundabout.

 

Why was a roundabout installed by the Shakey’s? 
The roundabout at SE 176th Street and SE 171st Way near Shakey’s was installed in 2019 based on an engineering study. This intersection consists of a two-lane roadway and had documented high crashes for failure to yield, not speeding. Based on the investigation this intersection met the warrants to install a roundabout and no other traffic safety measures such as a light. Please note, the amount it costs for new traffic safety measures increases each year and a roundabout on a two-lane roadway is less expensive than a five-lane road like 140th Ave SE and SE 192nd Street. 

National standards and state law require that traffic safety implementations be established based on an engineering study. The study considers many factors, but not limit to and includes on-site observations and measurements, past collisions, traffic volume and speed counts, and many other factors.   

Can two new stoplights be added between SE Petrovitsky Road and SE 192nd Street? 
There are very stringent federal, state, and local standards that must be met before a traffic signal can be installed. Currently, none of the intersections between SE Petrovitsky Road and SE 192nd Street meet those standards. Also, traffic signals are less expensive to install than roundabouts but not by a significant amount.   
 
Traffic lights are intended to allow two busy roads to cross each other. Although they do stop traffic, studies show that traffic lights are not a good option for traffic calming because they are not intended for speed control.    

More people, housing subdivisions and business parks are moving into the area, bringing more traffic. What is the County doing to make sure the road system can handle the additional traffic?

Before any new development can be built, the County must check how it will affect traffic.

If the County finds that the big housing project or commercial development will make traffic worse in the immediate area, then the developer must pay for any improvements needed to fix the issue. Some possible improvements include widening the road or adding turn lanes to manage increased traffic flow.


Does the County charge developers a fee to help offset costs of improving nearby roads that may be impacted by new housing or business park subdivisions?
King County does not charge a set fee for developments to help with infrastructure. Instead, the County works with individual commercial and large residential project developers to determine if their project will create traffic impacts. If the County believes the new development will bring more traffic than the current roads can handle, then the developer must pay for the improvements needed to keep traffic flowing.


Are there grants available to help pay for safety improvements on 140 Ave SE?
There are several significant, competitive grants available to help with infrastructure in King County. Some may be able to help cover the cost of safety improvements in Fairwood.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) allows federal agencies to offer grants for projects across the country. King County monitors these grant opportunities and applies for funds for projects that qualify. However, not all the grants from this law are for traffic safety projects.

We have received two awards including one related to traffic safety - Safe Streets and Roads for All.

The Safe Streets and Roads for All grant funds a detailed study to find out why crashes happen on County roads in unincorporated areas and which roads need the most attention. The goal is to make these roads safer and reduce the severity of crashes. It is possible that roads in Fairwood could be among those that will need significant safety improvements.

This study, called “The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan,” will be finished in 2026. With this plan, we can show the connection between safety issues and specific locations, which helps us get more grant money.


Why can’t property taxes pay for road improvements in Fairwood?
Approximately 80 percent of Road Services’ budget comes from property tax, and there is only enough funding to maintain our existing roads, bridges and related infrastructure. Property tax alone does not provide enough funding (revenue) to build new infrastructure or pay for significant road safety improvements.

Property taxes, including those from Fairwood, are combined into one fund and then spread out across the county. We assess the entire road system to identify areas with the most critical needs. The County prioritizes funding based on specific criteria to ensure the most urgent and necessary road projects receive attention first.

For more information about Washington State property tax, visit the Municipal Research and Service Center (MRSC) website.

If you would like more information on where your property taxes go, you may visit the King County Assessor at 2024 Property Taxes - King County, Washington.


What traffic safety improvements have county-maintained sections in the vicinity of both 140 Ave SE and SE Petrovitsky Rd received in the past few years?

Category	Action (Installation)	Location	Year
Lighting
	Street lighting	We will install new streetlights in July 2024 on 140th Ave SE between SE 171st Street to SE Petrovitsky Road, this work will be done by PSE. Once the poles are installed, Road crews will make repairs and modifications to the sidewalk later this summer.	2024
	Arterial street lighting	140 Ave SE, west side	2024
	Street lighting	SE 176 St & 171 Way SE	2019
	Street lighting	SE Petrovitsky Rd, between 15600 block and 162 Pl E	2023
High Crash Location
	High Friction Surface Treatment	140 Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd	2018
	Roundabout	SE 176 S. & 171 Way SE	2019
Radar Speed Signs
	Rotational Radar Speed Signs	140 Ave SE near SE 200th St, both directions
	Permanent Radar Speed Signs	140 Ave SE near 186 St, both directions	2022
School Zone Flashers
	School zone flasher assembly	SE Addison Way at Carriage Crest Elementary	2020
	School zone flasher assembly	SE Petrovitsky Rd at Ridgewood Elementary	2019
Curbing, rumble strips, other delineation
	Barrier curbing	SE Petrovitsky Rd east of 140 Ave SE	2018
	Lane edge rumble strip	140 Ave SE on northbound approach to SE Petrovitsky Rd	2018
	Gore line extension, left turn lanes	140 Ave SE near Carriage Crest Elementary/SE 186 St
	Merge lane and bike lane re-alignment	SE Petrovitsky Rd at Fairwood Fire Station
	Re-alignment of turn lanes	140 Ave SE & SE 186 St, SE 181 St	2022
Pedestrian and non-motorized improvements
	Sidewalk repairs	S/E corner of 140 Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd	2018
	Marked crosswalk	at traffic island on S/E corner of 140 Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd	2018-19
	Leading Pedestrian Interval	SE Petrovitsky Rd & Parkside Way SE	2024
	Leading Pedestrian Interval	140 Ave SE & 171 Way SE	2023
	ADA audible pedestrian signal	140 Ave SE & SE Petrovitsky Rd	2019
	Pedestrian flag holders	140 Ave SE & SE 200 St	2021
	Flexible guideposts	140 Ave SE & SE 200 St	2022
Signals
	Flashing-yellow left turn signal	SE Petrovitsky Rd & 151 Ave SE	2020
	Flashing-yellow left turn signal	SE Petrovitsky Rd & 143 Ave SE	2024
	Flashing-yellow left turn signal	SE Petrovitsky Rd & Parkside Way SE	2024
	Flashing-yellow left turn signal	140 Ave SE & SE 192 St	2019
	Signal Coordination Plan	SE Petrovitsky Rd, between 132 Ave SE to 151 Ave SE; 140 Ave SE between SE Petrovitsky Rd and SE Fairwood Blvd.	2019
	ITS Camera	140 Ave SE & SE 192 St
Other maintenance
	Signal preventative maintenance	All signals	3x year
	Guardrail	SE Petrovitsky Rd, between fire station and Petrovitsky Park	Annually
	Lane markings	SE Petrovitsky Rd, 140 Ave SE	2x year
	Seasonal signs, 'watch for ice,' etc	SE Petrovitsky Rd, 140 Ave SE	Annually
	CIP button replacement	SE Petrovitsky Rd, 140 Ave SE	2020
	CIP thermoplastic repair	SE Petrovitsky Rd, 140 Ave SE	2020
	Thermoplastic pavement markings	All roads	Every four years, began in 2018.