Plan Overview

Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) is the largest Army installation in the western United States, and it is
the third largest employer in the State of Washington. Its presence is recognized throughout Pierce and Transportation Recommendations for
Thurston Counties and Washington State as a significant economic benefit to the South Puget Sound. In
turn, communities surrounding JBLM enhance the quality of life for military personnel and families by Improving Regional Mobility
providing high quality neighborhoods, schools, recreation opportunities, and other services.

Recent United States Congress and Department December 2010

Participating Agencies of Defense actions have enhanced JBLM’s position
as a “Power Projection Platform” with a specific
• Joint Base Lewis- • City of DuPont
focus on the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. With These recommendations were identified by the expert panel members who
McChord
• City of Tacoma this designation, JBLM has experienced significant were selected to guide the transportation planning effort of the JBLM Growth
• Washington State population growth to support its mission. Since
Department of • City of Lacey
2003, nearly 40,000 people have arrived at JBLM Coordination Plan.
Transportation • City of Yelm
(WSDOT) and more continue to arrive. The total military-
• Town of Steilacoom connected population is estimated to be 136,000
• Federal Highway by 2016.
Administration (FHWA) • Town of Roy Mobility is a significant challenge to encourage improved travel
• Puget Sound Regional • Washington State To ensure a mutually beneficial relationship to resolving many of the issues options are complex and capital
Council (PSRC) Military Department continues, careful planning and coordination
• Pierce County • Nisqually Tribe are needed to ensure that local facilities and related to base operations, access intensive. Recommendations
infrastructure are adequate to meet the
• Thurston Regional • Pierce Transit
needs of JBLM, as well as to ensure that to existing services, getting people include improvements to
Planning Council • Sound Transit
(TRPC)
the South Puget Sound region is taking to and from work, moving goods Interstate-5, HOV and Transit
• Intercity Transit full advantage of the military assets in
• Thurston County its midst. and services, and the quality of Improvements, Transportation
• Clover Park School
• City of Lakewood District life of those who live in the study Demand Management Policies and
However, growth has significantly
affected the region’s ability to area. Insufficient regional mobility Strategies, JBLM Gate and On-Post
provide even the most basic services and infrastructure – namely housing, education,
transportation, and health care, among others. There are also momentous economic is an obstacle to the economic Improvements, and completing the
opportunities that can be realized with an increase in targeted coordination.
opportunities extended by JBLM- Cross-Base Highway.
The Joint Base Lewis-McChord Growth Coordination Plan identifies key opportunities for
increased collaboration and support for our military personnel and families.
related growth, and the strategies

Prepared under a grant from the Department of Defense, Office of Economic Adjustment,
administered by the City of Lakewood, Washington.

The following web sites provide more information about the

transportation needs in this area.

JBLM Growth Coordination Plan Web Site

http://www.jblm-growth.com/

WSDOT Project Web Site

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/ftlewismcchordtransportation/
 STEILACOOM LAKEWOOD

High Priority Transportation 512

Recommendations SPANAWAY

Improve Regional Mobility Through 5

1 I-5 Improvements McCHORD
JBLM’s primary mission is threatened by increasing FIELD
congestion and safety issues on I-5. Base personnel LEWIS
and regional travelers currently experience NORTH 7
significant amounts of delay along the stretch of I-5
that bisects the JBLM facilities. CAMP
• Install Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) improvements.
MURRAY 5
• Begin design and environmental analysis for interchange and mainline
improvements. 1
CRO
• Develop a long-term master plan for I-5 through Thurston County.
LEWIS MAIN 4 SS
-B
• Reconstruct the interchanges and add one additional northbound and southbound AS
lane between Mounts Road and Thorne Lane.
DUPONT E
HI
GH
JO W
INT AY
BA
SE
CONNECTOR
Improve Regional Mobility Through HOV and
2 Transit Improvements
LACEY
Few opportunities or incentives exist for regional travelers 5
JOINT BASE LEGEND

LEWIS-McCHORD
GATE IMPROVEMENT
and base personnel to consider alternative modes when either
traveling to JBLM or between Thurston and Pierce Counties. INTERCHANGE
IMPROVEMENT 7
507
• Promote changes in DoD policies that eliminate barriers
to provide transit services; incentivize carpooling, vanpooling, or transit through
Reduce Military-Related Impacts on I-5 Flow Through
enhanced security requirements; and, mandate military installations to develop
TDM programs. 4 JBLM Gate and On-Post Transportation Improvements
• Fund and provide on-post shuttles through a contract with local service providers.
• Provide diamond lanes for carpools, vanpools, and buses at major entry points to Transportation infrastructure on-post and at the gates is in need of
JBLM to encourage the use of carpooling and transit. significant upgrades. The lack of connections between McChord Air
• Construct flyover bus stations and/or multi-modal hubs at major entry points. Field and Lewis Main creates circuitous travel patterns for on-post trips.

• Construct improvements at the Center Drive Interchange to improve

Reduce Traffic Congestion Through Transportation the existing emergency access gate for
3 Demand Management (TDM) Policies and Strategies •
use during peak demand times.
Continue with significant upgrades
Reducing traffic congestion along I-5 and the surrounding access roadways in part relies on effective TDM to the base entry points and consider
strategies. Additional emphasis needs be placed on the installation to reduce their number of vehicle trips. installation of potential diamond lanes
to encourage alternative modes.
• Expand the federal workforce program, including a requirement for all installation personnel to obtain a • Complete the Joint Base Connector
monthly bus pass. roadway to provide a direct connection
• Implement a program to allow JBLM personnel to use a vanpool/vanshare system for on-post mobility. between Lewis and McChord.
• Develop a multi-agency marketing campaign and branding strategy to promote base-related transit and

•
TDM services.
Increase the role of the base Commute Trip Reduction
5 Complete the Cross-Base Highway
(CTR) Coordinator and designate and fund as a full- The Cross-Base Highway (SR 704) will provide regional travelers
time position. with a new highway between Lewis and McChord. It is expected to
• Coordinate with on-post service providers to locate significantly improve regional east–west travel, reduce I-5 and SR 512
some services off-post to reduce the amount of congestion, and improve overall accessibility to the base.
service-related trips to the installation.
ROY