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State Route 7 (Washington)
Encyclopedia
State Route 7 is a state highway
in Lewis
and Pierce
counties, located in the U.S. state
of Washington. The 58.6 miles (94.31 km) long roadway begins at (US 12) in Morton
and continues north to intersect several other state highways to Tacoma
, where it ends at an interchange
with (I-5) and . The road has several names, such as Second Street in Morton, the Mountain Highway in rural areas, Pacific Avenue in Spanaway
, Parkland
and Tacoma and 38th Street in Tacoma. Near the end of the highway there is a short freeway that has been proposed to be extended south parallel to an already existing railroad, owned by Tacoma Rail
, which serves as the median of the short freeway.
The earliest road to use the current route of SR 7 first appeared in a 1900 map of the Tacoma area and has been part of the state highway system since 1909, when the Alder-Kosmos Road was added to the system as . State Road 18 became part of two branches of in 1923 and later branches of . During the 1964 highway renumbering, the branches became SR 7. In 2002, an auxiliary route
that bypasses
Tacoma, , was established and construction started in 2008 to connect I-5, Fort Lewis
, McChord Air Force Base and SR 7.
. Traveling north as Second Street and paralleling the Morton – Tacoma
(Mountain Division) route of Tacoma Rail
, the street intersects Main Avenue, which continues west out of the city as . After leaving Morton, the highway becomes the Mountain Highway and passes through a heavily forested canyon near Mount Rainier
and parallel to the Tilton River
and Roundrop Creek. Bridging the Nisqually River
, the highway leaves Lewis County
and enters Pierce County
. In Elbe
, the roadway intersects , which goes east to Mount Rainier National Park
. Following the Nisqually River, which has become Alder Lake
, and Tacoma Rail line, branches off towards Eatonville
and travels west from the plains to McKenna
.
Passing Elk Plain
and suburban areas, the highway enters Spanaway
near the Fort Lewis
boundary where SR 7 intersects , which continues southwest to Chehalis
. The Mountain Highway becomes Pacific Avenue and enters Parkland
. Shortly after 112th Street, the roadway has a partial cloverleaf interchange with , which uses 108th Street South as two ramps. Leaving Parkland and entering Tacoma, Pacific Avenue turns east as 38th Street and then has another partial cloverleaf interchange with a short freeway and the proposed route of SR 7, which is used by the roadway. The freeway was the busiest segment of the highway in 2007, with an estimated daily average of 27,000 motorists. The median of the freeway is the Tacoma Rail route and at the northern terminus is an interchange with (I-5). SR 7 ends at the interchange, located near the Tacoma Dome
, but continues north parallel to the railroad to a single-point urban interchange
with as .
A 1900 map of the Tacoma
area showed a roadway extending north from Spanaway
to Tacoma that would later become SR 7. In 1909, the Alder-Kosmos Road, numbered , was added to the state highway system
and ran from Kosmos
north through Morton
and Elbe
to Alder
. The National Park Highway was created in 1913 and extended from the Pacific Ocean to Tacoma and south to Elbe, where it turned east into Mount Rainier National Park
. Both highways were replaced by two branches of in 1923, which traveled from Tacoma to Mount Rainier
and Elbe to Chehalis
. State Road 5 became (PSH 5) during the creation of the Primary state highways in 1937 and the Tacoma–Mount Rainier branch remained the same, but the Elbe–Chehalis branch was shortened to Kosmos.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
started to parallel the route by 1951 between Tacoma and Morton. During the 1964 highway renumbering the two branches of PSH 5 became SR 7. Between 1968 and 2008, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad transferred the railroad parallel to the highway to Tacoma Rail
. In 2002, a new auxiliary route
of SR 7, was established to provide a bypass
of Tacoma
to provide direct connections between (I-5), Fort Lewis
, McChord Air Force Base and SR 7 in Spanaway. On 30 July 2008, the Washington State Department of Transportation
(WSDOT) had a groundbreaking
ceremony to start construction of SR 704, which has been predicted to be finished after 2017. The segment of the highway between in Spanaway to in Parkland
had a very high accident rate, so WSDOT added safety improvements to the roadway in 2007. Between Morton and Spanaway, WSDOT is currently (as of 2009) developing a route development plan to improve the roadway. The project is divided into three phases, the first phase was completed in 2006 and focused between Morton and Elbe and the second phase will be focused between Elbe and while the third will focus between SR 702 to Spanaway.
State highways in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation maintains a network of over 7000 miles of state highways, including all Interstate and U.S. Highways that pass through the state. The system comprises 8.5% of the state's public road mileage, but carries over half...
in Lewis
Lewis County, Washington
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia....
and Pierce
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
counties, located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. The 58.6 miles (94.31 km) long roadway begins at (US 12) in Morton
Morton, Washington
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January...
and continues north to intersect several other state highways to Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, where it ends at an interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with (I-5) and . The road has several names, such as Second Street in Morton, the Mountain Highway in rural areas, Pacific Avenue in Spanaway
Spanaway, Washington
Spanaway is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 27,227 at the 2010 census. Spanaway is an unincorporated area near Tacoma, and is often identified together with the more urban, less wealthy Parkland....
, Parkland
Parkland, Washington
Parkland is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,053 at the 2000 census and grew to 35,803 as of the 2010 census...
and Tacoma and 38th Street in Tacoma. Near the end of the highway there is a short freeway that has been proposed to be extended south parallel to an already existing railroad, owned by Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail is a shortline railroad. It is operated as a public utility and owned by the city of Tacoma, Washington as part of the municipally-owned Tacoma Public Utilities service. It provides rail services for freight switching...
, which serves as the median of the short freeway.
The earliest road to use the current route of SR 7 first appeared in a 1900 map of the Tacoma area and has been part of the state highway system since 1909, when the Alder-Kosmos Road was added to the system as . State Road 18 became part of two branches of in 1923 and later branches of . During the 1964 highway renumbering, the branches became SR 7. In 2002, an auxiliary route
Auxiliary route
In road transportation, a special route is a prefixed and/or suffixed numbered road that forms a loop or spur of a more dominant route of the same route number and system. The dominant route is generally referred to as the "parent" or "mainline", while special routes are also unofficially or...
that bypasses
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
Tacoma, , was established and construction started in 2008 to connect I-5, Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, McChord Air Force Base and SR 7.
Route description
State Route 7 (SR 7) begins at an intersection with (US 12), a major east–west highway, in MortonMorton, Washington
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January...
. Traveling north as Second Street and paralleling the Morton – Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
(Mountain Division) route of Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail is a shortline railroad. It is operated as a public utility and owned by the city of Tacoma, Washington as part of the municipally-owned Tacoma Public Utilities service. It provides rail services for freight switching...
, the street intersects Main Avenue, which continues west out of the city as . After leaving Morton, the highway becomes the Mountain Highway and passes through a heavily forested canyon near Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
and parallel to the Tilton River
Tilton River
The Tilton River is a tributary of the Cowlitz River, in the U.S. state of Washington. Named for territorial surveyor James Tilton, its entire course is contained in Lewis County, Washington.-Course:...
and Roundrop Creek. Bridging the Nisqually River
Nisqually River
The Nisqually River is a river in west central Washington in the United States, approximately long. It drains part of the Cascade Range southwest of Tacoma, including the southern slope of Mount Rainier, and empties into the southern end of Puget Sound....
, the highway leaves Lewis County
Lewis County, Washington
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia....
and enters Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
. In Elbe
Elbe, Washington
Elbe is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, Washington, United States. The population was 29 at the 2010 census.The Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church, a tiny white church built by the German immigrants who established the community, was listed on the National Register of...
, the roadway intersects , which goes east to Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...
. Following the Nisqually River, which has become Alder Lake
Alder Lake
Alder Lake is a long reservoir on the Nisqually River in the U.S. state of Washington, which was created following the construction of Alder Dam in 1945. At the very eastern end of the lake is the town of Elbe, Washington....
, and Tacoma Rail line, branches off towards Eatonville
Eatonville, Washington
Eatonville is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,758 at the 2010 census.-History:For centuries, Indian people roamed the rivers and streams of the Eatonville area. Indian Henry was one of those who, in 1889, guided the town's founder, Thomas C. Van Eaton, from...
and travels west from the plains to McKenna
McKenna, Washington
McKenna is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, Washington, United States, located on State Route 507 and the Nisqually River, east of Yelm.Founded around 1908, McKenna is a former timber company town....
.
Passing Elk Plain
Elk Plain, Washington
Elk Plain is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 14,205 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Elk Plain is located at ....
and suburban areas, the highway enters Spanaway
Spanaway, Washington
Spanaway is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 27,227 at the 2010 census. Spanaway is an unincorporated area near Tacoma, and is often identified together with the more urban, less wealthy Parkland....
near the Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
boundary where SR 7 intersects , which continues southwest to Chehalis
Chehalis, Washington
Chehalis is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,259 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County.-History:...
. The Mountain Highway becomes Pacific Avenue and enters Parkland
Parkland, Washington
Parkland is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,053 at the 2000 census and grew to 35,803 as of the 2010 census...
. Shortly after 112th Street, the roadway has a partial cloverleaf interchange with , which uses 108th Street South as two ramps. Leaving Parkland and entering Tacoma, Pacific Avenue turns east as 38th Street and then has another partial cloverleaf interchange with a short freeway and the proposed route of SR 7, which is used by the roadway. The freeway was the busiest segment of the highway in 2007, with an estimated daily average of 27,000 motorists. The median of the freeway is the Tacoma Rail route and at the northern terminus is an interchange with (I-5). SR 7 ends at the interchange, located near the Tacoma Dome
Tacoma Dome
The Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:...
, but continues north parallel to the railroad to a single-point urban interchange
Single-point urban interchange
A single-point urban interchange , also called a single-point interchange or single-point diamond interchange , is a type of highway interchange...
with as .
History
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
area showed a roadway extending north from Spanaway
Spanaway, Washington
Spanaway is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 27,227 at the 2010 census. Spanaway is an unincorporated area near Tacoma, and is often identified together with the more urban, less wealthy Parkland....
to Tacoma that would later become SR 7. In 1909, the Alder-Kosmos Road, numbered , was added to the state highway system
State highways in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, the Washington State Department of Transportation maintains a network of over 7000 miles of state highways, including all Interstate and U.S. Highways that pass through the state. The system comprises 8.5% of the state's public road mileage, but carries over half...
and ran from Kosmos
Kosmos, Washington
Kosmos is an unincorporated community in Washington, United States. It was established in 1904 with a grocery store and a post office. Kosmos reached its heyday in the 1940s, when mills and logging camps dotted the landscape. Kosmos was abandoned in 1968 when the Mossyrock Dam was completed...
north through Morton
Morton, Washington
Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January...
and Elbe
Elbe, Washington
Elbe is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, Washington, United States. The population was 29 at the 2010 census.The Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church, a tiny white church built by the German immigrants who established the community, was listed on the National Register of...
to Alder
Alder, Washington
Alder is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 227 at the 2010 census. The community is located along the shore of Alder Lake on State Route Highway 7 near the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park....
. The National Park Highway was created in 1913 and extended from the Pacific Ocean to Tacoma and south to Elbe, where it turned east into Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...
. Both highways were replaced by two branches of in 1923, which traveled from Tacoma to Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
and Elbe to Chehalis
Chehalis, Washington
Chehalis is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,259 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County.-History:...
. State Road 5 became (PSH 5) during the creation of the Primary state highways in 1937 and the Tacoma–Mount Rainier branch remained the same, but the Elbe–Chehalis branch was shortened to Kosmos.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
started to parallel the route by 1951 between Tacoma and Morton. During the 1964 highway renumbering the two branches of PSH 5 became SR 7. Between 1968 and 2008, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad transferred the railroad parallel to the highway to Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail
Tacoma Rail is a shortline railroad. It is operated as a public utility and owned by the city of Tacoma, Washington as part of the municipally-owned Tacoma Public Utilities service. It provides rail services for freight switching...
. In 2002, a new auxiliary route
Auxiliary route
In road transportation, a special route is a prefixed and/or suffixed numbered road that forms a loop or spur of a more dominant route of the same route number and system. The dominant route is generally referred to as the "parent" or "mainline", while special routes are also unofficially or...
of SR 7, was established to provide a bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
of Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
to provide direct connections between (I-5), Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, McChord Air Force Base and SR 7 in Spanaway. On 30 July 2008, the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
(WSDOT) had a groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony to start construction of SR 704, which has been predicted to be finished after 2017. The segment of the highway between in Spanaway to in Parkland
Parkland, Washington
Parkland is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,053 at the 2000 census and grew to 35,803 as of the 2010 census...
had a very high accident rate, so WSDOT added safety improvements to the roadway in 2007. Between Morton and Spanaway, WSDOT is currently (as of 2009) developing a route development plan to improve the roadway. The project is divided into three phases, the first phase was completed in 2006 and focused between Morton and Elbe and the second phase will be focused between Elbe and while the third will focus between SR 702 to Spanaway.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Lewis County, Washington Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of 2010, the population was 75,455. The county seat is at Chehalis, and its largest city is Centralia.... |
Morton Morton, Washington Morton is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census.-History:Morton was first settled in 1871 by James Fletcher. It was later named after Benjamin Harrison's Vice President, Levi P. Morton, in 1889. Morton was officially incorporated on January... |
0.00 | Southern terminus | |
| 0.45 | ||||
| Pierce Pierce County, Washington right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory... |
Elbe Elbe, Washington Elbe is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, Washington, United States. The population was 29 at the 2010 census.The Elbe Evangelical Lutheran Church, a tiny white church built by the German immigrants who established the community, was listed on the National Register of... |
16.82 | – Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains... |
|
| 26.99 | ||||
| 36.08 | ||||
| Spanaway Spanaway, Washington Spanaway is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 27,227 at the 2010 census. Spanaway is an unincorporated area near Tacoma, and is often identified together with the more urban, less wealthy Parkland.... |
47.38 | |||
| 48.33 | 176th Street South – Lakewood Lakewood, Washington Lakewood is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 58,163 at the 2010 census.-History:Lakewood was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Historical names include Lakewood Center and Lakes District... , Frederickson Frederickson, Washington Frederickson is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 5,758 at the 2000 census and has grown to 18,719 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Frederickson is located at .... |
Future | ||
| Parkland Parkland, Washington Parkland is a census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,053 at the 2000 census and grew to 35,803 as of the 2010 census... |
52.55 | Interchange | ||
| Tacoma Tacoma, Washington Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to... |
57.82 | South 38th Street | Interchange | |
| South end of freeway | ||||
| 58.60 | , Portland, OR Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... |
Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| – Tacoma Dome Tacoma Dome The Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:... |
Northern terminus; northbound exit and southbound entrance; continuation beyond I-5 | |||