Sewer Repairs Complete, Steilacoom Boulevard Reopens To Drivers

LAKEWOOD, WA — Great news for commuters in Lakewood, as a months-long construction project finally draws to a close.

Crews have been working on and off since the fall to repair the sewer main underneath Steilacoom Boulevard. Construction started in October, and required workers to dig over 25 feet into the ground to even reach the main, closing off the road between Lakewood Drive and Gravelly Lake Drive.

Now, that's finally all over.

"Steilacoom Boulevard in Lakewood will reopen for traffic this afternoon, Wednesday, Feb. 16," said Akiko Oda, Public Information Specialist for Pierce County Planning & Public Works. "Thanks to dry weather conditions this week, crews working on our sewer main repair project were able to apply temporary striping ahead of schedule."

Permanent road markings will be installed next month, and there is still a little of utility work to go, but the actual road closure is complete, so drivers can use the thoroughfare without fear of detours or interruptions.

The repair was the result of an unfortunate sewer main break underneath Steilacoom Boulevard last summer. The main break had the city warning residents not to flush their toilets for the night, though investigators have since determined that there were no service disruptions due to the break, and no impact on nearby drinking water or toilets.

However, the break did cause wastewater to spill out onto the road. From there, some of the sewage seeped into nearby Flett Creek, which carried the waste out into Chambers Bay. As a result, beaches at Sunnyside Beach Park, Chambers Creek Regional Park, Kobayashi Park, Chamber Bay Park, and the public access points at Chambers Creek Canyon were temporarily closed to the public. They have since been reopened.