Southcenter Parkway opening delayed by right-of-way issues

The new Southcenter Parkway extension in Tukwila will remain closed at least until next month as city officials wrap up a few right-of-way issues.

A public hearing at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at City Hall before the City Council will discuss proposed amendments to clean up right-of-ways along the old Frager Road and new Southcenter Parkway, a 1.4-mile extension between South 180th Street and South 200th Street.

“It’s an amendment to clean up access issues before we can open the road,” Mayor Jim Haggerton said during a phone interview Oct. 11.

The original agreement between the city and developer La Pianta LLC, run by the Segale family, “inadvertently failed to address” replacement access issues for two parcels along Southcenter Parkway right of way, according to city documents. City officials want to amend the initial ordinance to provide replacement access, which will be the topic of the public hearing.

“It’s for a moving company to make sure they have access for their trucks coming and going off the new road,” Haggerton said.

City officials had anticipated a summer opening of the road. As long as the public hearing goes smoothly with no appeals, the road is expected to open later this fall.

The street extension is part of the city’s Tukwila South Development project expected to provide up to 25,000 jobs, 1,700 housing units and 10 million square feet of office and retail space.

The Segale family owns most of the property along the new street and plans to develop the area, which will have much-improved access to Interstate 5 with the new roadway.

Haggerton said city officials are also in discussion with the Segale family to determine a three-acre site along the new road for a future city fire station.

The Segale family agreed to donate land for a new fire station as part of the original agreement with the city.

“We’re looking south of 180th Street but there is no agreement yet on a specific parcel,” Haggerton said.

Contact Tukwila Reporter Reporter Steve Hunter at shunter@tukwilareporter.com or 253-872-6600, ext. 5052.

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