Dale Severson

In November, Dale Severson, development services engineer for the DOT's Olympic region, wrote to the city of Tumwater requesting that it require the developer of a second development proposal in the area to pay for the same improvements, plus additional frontage improvements, before that project is allowed to go forward. The project calls for the construction of six warehouses totalling 1.7 million square feet on 93rd Avenue between the Pilot Travel Center and Kimmie Street.

Severson, in his Nov. 5 letter, suggested that the two developers partner pay for the improvements so one of them doesn't bear the entire cost.

It's not in the state highway design standards manual, according to Dale Severson, development services engineer for the DOT's Olympic region.

There are only two now in use on state highways, with one other planned.

One of the two is on Interstate 5 in Tacoma, where a three-lane left turn dumps traffic onto eastbound Highway 512.Severson said the design works well there and easily moves traffic from freeway to freeway.

South Prairie Road, however, isn't a freeway.He said there was a lot of discussion about the design.

"If the city hadn't wanted it, I'm not sure it would have got there," he added.

But like roundabouts, which a few years ago didn't exist in state design manuals, Severson said three-lane left turns are gaining acceptance.

The third turn lane is needed, he explained, to give Lowe's access from the site directly onto South Prairie Road and then to Highway 410.

The permit is still being processed, but it should be complete within the next two weeks, said Dale Severson, development services engineer for WSDOT.

'It's just a matter of getting all the pieces together,' Severson said," quoting the December 5th NVN.

The permit is still being processed, but it should be complete within the next two weeks, said Dale Severson, development services engineer for WSDOT.

'It's just a matter of getting all the pieces together,' Severson said," quoting the December 5th NVN.

AND ON ANOTHER ISSUE, THE NVN TOOK UP A STORY RECENTLY COVERED FOR YELM COMMUNITY BLOG READERS IN TODAY'S PRINT EDITION WITH THEIR QUESTION OF THE WEEK: