Washington State Route 117

State highway in Washington County, Washington, US

State Route 117

Tumwater Truck Road
POW/MIA Memorial Highway

SR 117 is highlighted in red.

Route information
Auxiliary route of US 101
Maintained by WSDOT
Length| 1.40 mi[1] (2.25 km)
Existed| 1991[2][3]–present
Major junctions
South end|  US 101 in Port Angeles
North end| Marine Drive in Port Angeles
Location
Country| United States
State| Washington
Highway system

* State highways in Washington

* Interstate
* US
* State
* Scenic
* Pre-1964
* 1964 renumbering
* Former

| ←  SR 116| | →  SR 119

|
|

Interchange seen from US Route 101

State Route 117 (SR 117) is a short, 1.40-mile (2.25 km) long state highway located entirely within Port Angeles, the county seat of Clallam County, in the U.S. state of Washington. The short roadway, named the Tumwater Truck Route, serves the waterfront of Port Angeles and intersects two streets and crosses under another street on a short bridge. Beginning at an interchange with U.S. Route 101 (US 101), the highway travels northeast to terminate at Marine Drive. SR 117 was first established in 1991, but a road parallel to the current roadway had existed since 1966.

## Route description

[edit]

SR 117 begins as the Tumwater Truck Road at an interchange with U.S. Route 101 (US 101) in southwest Port Angeles. The interchange only serves traffic from US 101 eastbound driving onto SR 117 northbound and motorists driving from the route southbound onto US 101 westbound, however, left turns are allowed to serve the missing movements.[4] Traveling north, the highway intersects Lauridsen Boulevard and crosses under 8th Street. Between 8th Street and the Port Angeles waterfront, a daily average of 7,400 motorists accessed the roadway in 2008.[5] After the 8th Street bridge, the road intersects 3rd Street and terminates at Marine Drive, which continues east as 1st Street to US 101.[6][7]

## History

[edit]

SR 117 was designated in 1991,[2] but a short local street connecting the waterfront with U.S. Route 101 (US 101) had existed for several decades under local maintenance.[8] The Tumwater Truck Road was approved for construction by the Port Angeles city government in 1954 to detour logging truck traffic away from residential neighborhoods.[9] It was constructed at a cost of $250,000, shared with the county and state governments, along the existing Tumwater Canyon.[10] The unfinished road was opened to traffic in July 1956, with logging truck drivers encouraged to use the graded road to prepare it for paving.[11] In 1991, the state government added the truck road to the state highway system, assigning SR 117 as its designation.[3]

During a severe winter storm on November 27, 2006, the Port Angeles Police Department closed both ends of the highway due to treacherous conditions.[12] On December 15, 2006, a wind storm caused trees near the roadway to block the highway and the route had to be shut down.[13] On August 7, 2007, the city of Port Angeles announced that the 8th Street bridge over the Tumwater Truck Route would be closed on August 20, 2007.[14] A detour was set for both 8th Street and the truck route; trucks were routed onto US 101 (Lincoln Street) and Marine Drive / Front Street.[15] Starting on April 1, 2008, the new bridge's girders started to arrive at the construction site.[16] The last girders arrived on April 9 and the highway was reopened.[17][18] On August 1, the roadway was closed for another month to be reconstructed.[19] SR 117 was designated as the POW/MIA Memorial Highway by the state transportation commission in 2013.[20]

## Major intersections

[edit]

The entire highway is in Port Angeles, Clallam County.

mi[1]| km| Destinations| Notes

|
|
|

0.00| 0.00|  US 101 (Olympic Highway) – Aberdeen, Forks, Olympia| Southern terminus; westbound entrance and eastbound exit
1.40| 2.25| Marine Drive| Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Washington State Department of Transportation (2008). "State Highway Log: Planning Report, SR 2 to SR 971" (PDF). Retrieved August 12, 2009.
2. ^ a b Washington State Legislature (1991). "RCW 47.17.221: State route No. 117". Retrieved August 12, 2009.
3. ^ a b Washington House of Representatives (1991). "Chapter 342, Laws of 1991: State Highway Routes — Revisions To (House Bill 5801)". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
4. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (June 25, 2009). "SR 101; Junction SR 117 / Doyle Road" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2006. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
5. ^ Washington State Department of Transportation (2008). "2008 Annual Traffic Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
6. ^ "State Route 117" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
7. ^ Pacific Northwest: Washington, Oregon, Western Idaho, Southwestern British Columbia (Map) (6th ed.). 1 inch = 3,800 feet. The Thomas Guide. Cartography by NAVTEQ. Thomas Bros., Rand McNally. 2004. p. 261\. ISBN 0-528-99511-1.
8. ^ Victoria, 1966 (Map). 1:250,000. Cartography by United States Geological Survey. University of Texas at Austin. 1966. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
9. ^ Ivey, R. S. (November 28, 1956). "City Council Action on New Tumwater Truck Route Reviewed". Port Angeles Evening News. p. 2. Retrieved May 3, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ Kiuchi, Ats (May 30, 1956). "Log Truck Roar on New Route Fulfills Longtime Dream". Port Angeles Evening News. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Truckers Encouraged To Use New Approach Route Into City". Port Angeles Evening News. July 16, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved May 3, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ KONP staff (November 27, 2006). "Snow problems continue for Peninsula". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2009. "Port Angeles Police closed both ends of the Tumwater Truck Route earlier this morning due to treacherous conditions."
13. ^ KONP staff (December 15, 2006). "Winds roar through PA, downing". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2009. "Yet more trees are down on the Tumwater Truck Route."
14. ^ KONP staff (August 7, 2007). "Firm date set for 8th Street bridge shutdown". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
15. ^ Traffic Management: Port Angeles 8th Street Bridge Replacement Project (PDF) (Map). City of Port Angeles, Washington. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
16. ^ KONP staff (March 27, 2008). "Huge girders coming for new 8th Street bridge". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
17. ^ KONP staff (April 9, 2008). "Last bridge girders arrive, Truck Route reopens". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
18. ^ KONP staff (April 10, 2008). "Girders placed, traffic rolls on Truck Route". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
19. ^ KONP staff (August 1, 2008). "PA's Truck Route to close for a month". Port Angeles, Washington: KONP. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
20. ^ "Ceremony to mark truck route's new designation as POW/MIA highway". Peninsula Daily News. September 20, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

KML file (edit • help)

Template:Attached KML/Washington State Route 117

KML is from Wikidata

* Highways of Washington State

* v
* t
* e

State highways in Washington related to US 101

* SR 100
* SR 102
* SR 103
* SR 104
* SR 105 (Spur)
* SR 106
* SR 107
* SR 108
* SR 109
* SR 110
* SR 112
* SR 113
* SR 115
* SR 116
* SR 117
* SR 119

Former or proposed State Routes: SR 111
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template