| State Route 512 | ||||
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A map of the Seattle metro area with SR 512 in red. |
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| Route information | ||||
| Defined by RCW 47.17.690 | ||||
| Maintained by WSDOT | ||||
| Length: | 12.06 mi[2] (19.41 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1964[1] – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | I-5 in Lakewood | |||
| SR 7 in Parkland SR 161 in Puyallup |
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| East end: | SR 161 / SR 167 in Puyallup | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Pierce | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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State highways in Washington
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State Route 512 (SR 512) is a 12.06-mile (19.41 km) long state-maintained freeway serving southern Pierce County in the U.S. state of Washington. The freeway begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Lakewood and travels east past SR 7 in Parkland and a concurrency with SR 161 to a trumpet interchange with SR 167 and SR 161 in Puyallup.
SR 512 originally began as county roads until 1937, when it became Secondary State Highway 5G (SSH 5G) and ran from Primary State Highway 5 (PSH 5) in Puyallup west to PSH 1 south of Tacoma. In a 1964 state highway renumbering, SSH 5G became SR 512 and by 1972, the original 2-lane road was expanded to a four-lane divided freeway. Recent proposals to control growing traffic on the freeway have included interchange upgrades and high-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes).
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SR 512 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) and South Tacoma Way in Lakewood.[3] The freeway continues southeast to a partial cloverleaf interchange with Steele Street before interchanging with SR 7, locally named Pacific Avenue, and 108th Street in Parkland.[4][5] From the interchange, the highway passes Franklin Pierce High School,[6] a pedestrian overpass and a railroad overpass operated by Tacoma Rail before a diamond interchange with Portland Avenue in Midland.[7][8] After leaving Midland, SR 512 continues east through several suburbs, passing the Canyon Road diamond interchange in Summit,[9] the freeway enters Puyallup and interchanges with 94th Avenue and SR 161,[10] both of which provide access to the nearby South Hill Mall.[11] SR 161 begins a concurrency at its interchange and the roadway continues north and turns east to interchange Meridian Avenue in downtown Puyallup. This would be the end of the concurrency with SR 161. [12] After resuming its northbound direction, the freeway intersects Pioneer Avenue in a partial cloverleaf interchange and crosses over a BNSF Railway line and the Puyallup River.[7][13] SR 512 terminates shortly after crossing the river at a trumpet interchange with SR 167 and SR 161 west of Sumner.[14][15]
SR 512 originated as a road connecting Parkland, Midland and Summit with Puyallup that existed before 1900.[16] By 1912, a road connecting what is now Lakewood to the Parkland–Puyallup road.[17] These two roads became Secondary State Highway 5G (SSH 5G), which ran from Primary State Highway 5 (PSH 5) in Puyallup south to SSH 5N and west past the Tacoma–Mount Rainier branch of PSH 5 to PSH 1 south of Tacoma.[18][19][20] Washington renumbered its highways in 1964 and SSH 5G was assigned to become SR 512 when the new system took effect in 1970.[21][22] In 1970, the new system of state routes took effect and SR 512 was officially established.[1] By 1972, the highway was expanded and reconstructed to become a divided freeway.[23]
In 2002, the interchange with Interstate 5 was modified from a full cloverleaf to a partial cloverleaf. The Southbound I-5 ramp to SR 512 eastbound was removed. The Southbound to Westbound ramp was modified to accommodate for left turns. In the future, WSDOT plans to again reconstruct this interchange for a full freeway to freeway junction as part of the Interstate 5 HOV project.
The entire route is in Pierce County.
| Location | Mile[2] | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | 0.00 | South Tacoma Way | Western terminus; at-grade intersection |
| I-5 – Tacoma, Seattle, Portland | |||
| 0.63 | Steele Street | ||
| Parkland | 2.22 | SR 7 (Pacific Avenue) – Parkland, Spanaway | |
| Midland | 3.71 | Portland Avenue – Midland | |
| Summit | 5.86 | Canyon Road – Summit | |
| Puyallup | 8.37 | 9th Street Southwest, 94th Avenue East | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| 8.74 | SR 161 – South Hill, Eatonville | West end of SR 161 overlap | |
| 10.06 | Meridian Avenue South – Puyallup | ||
| 11.12 | Pioneer Avenue East – Orting, Puyallup | Former SR 162 | |
| 12.06 | SR 161 north / SR 167 east to SR 410 east – Milton, Tacoma, Seattle, Yakima | Eastern terminus; Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||
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