In 2023, The City of Ridgefield requested to take ownership of SR 501 (Pioneer Street) from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). This Route Jurisdiction Transfer was approved during the Washington State Legislature 2024 Session and signed into law on March 13, 2024.
This transfer of ownership will allow the City of Ridgefield to transition Pioneer Street into a multi-modal City arterial "main street" rather than maintain it as a state highway. The most immediate impact of this transfer will be providing more local control for the design and construction of the planned I-5 to Royle Road Transportation Improvements. City Public Works staff will coordinate with WSDOT to ensure a smooth transfer that accounts for all safety and maintenance considerations.
This change will have no immediate effect for residents or drivers, however we do anticipate traffic impacts with the planned widening of Pioneer between 56th Avenue and Royle Road this year. Residents are encouraged to bookmark our Road Construction & Traffic Impact webpage and sign up for traffic emails if interested in receiving notice of anticipated traffic impacts.
Process Background
In January 2023, City staff, at council direction, initiated an inquiry into the transfer of jurisdiction of Pioneer Street. The process for considering this route jurisdiction transfer includes several steps. The city initiates the request which is then processed through the Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC). The WSTC completes several steps, including technical assessment and gathering public input, and then issues a recommendation to the legislature.
In June 2023, some residents and businesses along Pioneer Street received a “Dear Resident” letter about the “Route Jurisdiction Transfer” (RJT) request. The letter offered an opportunity to provide public comment on the request to WSTC. WSTC also conducted a public hearing regarding the transfer in August.
City staff assessed the benefits and cost implications of acquiring the SR 501 assets from WSDOT. This includes the road right-of-way, an old quarry near Reiman Road, and any stormwater facilities not associated with I-5 runoff that are along the alignment. The assessment included a wealth of pavement, traffic, and slide information from WSDOT as well as bridge inspection reports for the bridge over Gee Creek.
The Transportation Improvement Board reviewed the request and determined that, with the exception of the original legislative designation, SR 501 does not meet any of the state highway urban route criteria.
In September 2023, Ridgefield City Council passed Resolution No. 632 (PDF), supporting the transfer of route jurisdiction of Pioneer Street (State Route 501) from the Washington State Department of Transportation to the City of Ridgefield.
In October 2023, WSTC recommended to de-designate SR-501 through Ridgefield and transfer jurisdictional control to the City.
The Washington State Legislature codified the transfer in the 2024 Legislative Session with HB 2318, and the bill was signed by Governor Inslee on March 13, 2024.