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What is Traffic Like Around Joint Base Lewis-McChord?

There are many reasons to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, but traffic is not one of them. If you are looking at living off post and you are unsure where or how to avoid the worst traffic spots around Joint Base Lewis-McChord, read on!

 

 

1) I-5 and Main Gate

Probably the most well-known and currently worst traffic situation is I-5 in either direction around the main gate (exit 120 I-5). Mornings are not as bad, but during afternoon rush hour there is usually a slowdown. Friday afternoons are especially congested, as I-5 can back up all the way to Hwy 512 intersection going North, and all the way down to the Mounts Rd exit to the South. Real time traffic and map of JBLM gates can be found Here. Below is a typical Friday afternoon courtesy of Google Maps.

 

Is there a way around this? Yes. Luckily, there are gates to the North and South of the Fort Lewis main gate. The DuPont gate and Mounts Road gate (not open 24 hours) are both located South of Main gate. If you need to go North, use the gate by Thorne Lane (exit 123 I-5 and technically called “Field Barnes gate”) or any other gate further North. 

 

 

2) Traffic in Tacoma

Those who are looking to live in Tacoma can avoid I-5 traffic by making use of hundreds of side streets in and around the city. However, often times, it can take longer navigating through the pothole-riddled side streets of Tacoma rather than just sticking it out on I-5. Currently, WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) is widening I-5 through this region, which should alleviate this in the near future. In the meantime, the road construction actually makes it worse. The good news is the commute from the north side of the base to Tacoma isn’t all that far.  

 

Typical Friday afternoon Tacoma traffic courtesy of Google maps.

 

3) Puyallup, South Hill and Graham

For those living in Puyallup, South Hill and the Graham area, it is well known that Meridian (or Hwy 161) will almost always be congested. It doesn’t matter if it is 10:00 AM on a Tuesday or 2:00 PM on a Saturday. There are a lot of businesses on this road from Graham all the way up through Puyallup. Unless your destination is one of these businesses, avoid Meridian at all costs! If you need to go North or South, Canyon road was recently widened to six lanes, and rarely is congested. Canyon Rd directly parallels Meridian Rd and even intersects Highway 512 if you are looking for freeway access. If you need to go West towards JBLM (or east, if you are commuting home from JBLM), there are also several options. 176th St was recently widened, but as you can see on the map, there are many options from 112th St connecting Parkland to South Hill area, down to 224th that connects JBLM traffic to the Graham area.  Most of these roads going East and West are two lane roads with few stoplights or major traffic jams. They prove a much better option than coming out the Main Gate and waiting on I-5 and 512 to get to your destination.   

 

4) Yelm Traffic

Lastly, Yelm is a popular destination for the military and their families. It is located on the east side of base and has a much more rural setting than most other areas. However, there is one road that goes through Yelm, aptly named Yelm Ave. Traffic can get backed up fairly quickly and is exacerbated by Friday or weekend traffic coming or going. The city and state officials have taken steps to alleviate this i.e. the construction of Yelm 507 Business Loop. When completed, it will be a two to four lane highway that completely circles the city of Yelm. Only problem is, it’s only 1/3 completed.  Until then, here are a couple helpful suggestions: 

 

-If you are on the West side of Yelm and trying to get to JBLM or I-5, you may use highway 510, take a right on Reservation Rd and another right onto Old Pacific Hwy. In about 13 miles, you will be at the Mounts Rd gate and exit 116 of I-5. Note that the Mounts Rd gate is not open all hours. However, the Dupont Gate is just a couple miles North on I-5 from the Mounts Rd exit.

 -If you live on the East side of Yelm, you may want to go the other direction (East) on Hwy 507, taking you through McKenna, Roy and eventually to the East Gate. This is a bit further than the Mounts Rd gate, but it also avoids I-5 traffic. (Highlight on map both routes)

 So, yes, Joint Base Lewis-McChord has some of the worst traffic around. However, if you get to know the area and utilize some of the back roads, at least some of the frustration can be minimized, if only some. 

 

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