Transportation | The JOLT News Organization, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

Intercity Transit bus pad installation work has been extended in Olympia to July 31, 2026.

Bus pad installation work extended in Olympia

Bus pad installation work has been extended on McCormick and Boundary streets between 4th and 5th avenues in ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 7/20/26 | 4 comments

The Washington State Department of Ecology presented an updated 5th Avenue Bridge design that features protected bicycle lanes and a separated pedestrian trail. The bridge replacement project is part of the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project.

Updated 5th Avenue Bridge plan adds protected bike lanes, shared-use trail

An updated design for the replacement of the 5th Avenue Bridge in Olympia was unveiled by a state ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 7/17/26 | 14 comments

Traffic mitigation work is scheduled to start on Burbank Avenue NW in Olympia on Monday, July 20, 2026.

Signage, speed bumps to be installed on Burbank Avenue NW in west Olympia

Traffic mitigation work is going to make navigating a portion of the west side of Olympia a little more difficult for motorists ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 7/16/26 | 1 comment

A map of the multimillion-dollar Fones Road Corridor Project in Olympia.

Nighttime paving work to begin on Fones Road in Olympia

Some heavy lifting is going to take place this week along Fones Road in Olympia, as work crews will demolish existing pavement from Pacific ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 7/14/26 | 2 comments

The Thurston Regional Planning Council is developing a freight mobility strategy to better understand freight movement in the region.

Thurston Regional Planning Council pursuing freight mobility strategy

The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is launching the development of a freight mobility strategy in order to better understand freight ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 7/7/26 | 1 comment

Intercity Transit wants to hear from the public

Intercity Transit is conducting a survey to get a better understanding of how well its website and digital tools meet the needs of ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 7/2/26

Sidewalk replacement work at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Plum Street in downtown Olympia, as seen on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. More road improvement work is scheduled in the area starting on July 6, 2026.

Roadwork planned around 4th Avenue and Plum Street in Olympia

A weeklong road improvement project will make navigating an area around 4th Avenue and Plum Street in Olympia a bit trickier next ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 7/1/26 | 1 comment

Speeding through a work zone will now cost Washington drivers $125, if caught by the state's speed cameras launched last year.

Work zone speed camera fines rise to $125 in Washington

Drivers caught on camera speeding through highway work zones in Washington will face $125 penalties starting this week, after the state ... more

By Jake Goldstein-Street | Washington State Standard | 7/1/26

Bus pad work to impact streets in east side of Olympia

The installation of bus pads for Intercity Transit is going to impact traffic in an east side neighborhood in ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 6/30/26 | 1 comment

A map of the Fones Road Corridor Project in Olympia.

Paving work resumes on multimillion-dollar Fones Road Corridor Project in Olympia

A wealth of paving work is resuming on Fones Road in Olympia, as crews edge closer to the finish line of the multimillion-dollar ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/24/26 | 3 comments

Tumwater Engineering and Transportation Department Senior Engineer Joseph Norman discussed the X Street and Capitol Boulevard roundabout project at a Tumwater Public Works Committee meeting on June 4, 2026.

Tumwater dealing with issues to acquire right-of-way for X Street roundabout

The Tumwater City Council authorized additional spending to resolve outstanding issues related to the acquisition of right-of-way ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/22/26 | 5 comments

'The three ring circus'

It was 2016 and Tumwater had a problem: too many vehicles were trying to pass through the intersection at Capitol Boulevard SE and ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/18/26 | 2 comments

Pedestrian refuge at a three ring circus roundabout in Tumwater.

'The three ring circus'

In yesterday’s segment, the reality of how local government planning activities are dominated by adherence to the requirements of the state’s Growth Management Act was described. In today’s … more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/17/26 | 6 comments

Website page for the City of Tumwater's Comprehensive Plan

'The three ring circus'

A strict state law passed three decades ago was designed to contain high density growth in Washington state, altering the fabric of our ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/16/26 | 11 comments

The roundabout at the intersection of Capitol Boulevard and Troper Road in the City of Tumwater.

'The three ring circus'

In 2024, Tumwater officially opened three closely linked roundabouts at and near the intersection of Capitol Boulevard SE and ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/15/26 | 11 comments

TRPC launches survey for Regional Safety Action Plan

A public roadway safety survey is underway as part of an effort to craft a plan to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Thurston ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 6/12/26

The City of Tumwater’s 2027-32 transportation improvement program outlines a total of 23 projects, including three items that are new to the annually updated document.

Transportation improvement program outlines three new projects in Tumwater

The City of Tumwater’s new transportation improvement program identifies three road projects to pursue within the next ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/9/26 | 5 comments

Hop on public transit to win prizes during Ride Transit Month

Public transit riders in Thurston County could win $50 gift cards just by taking the bus this ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/5/26 | 2 comments

Gov. Bob Ferguson is rejecting a lead Republican’s proposal to temporarily suspend Washington’s cap-and-trade program to decrease prices at the pump.

Ferguson rebuffs GOP lawmaker’s call to pause state climate law

Gov. Bob Ferguson is rejecting a lead Republican’s proposal to temporarily suspend Washington’s cap-and-trade program to decrease prices at the ... more

By Aspen Ford | Washington State Standard | 6/3/26 | 7 comments

Utility work on Black Lake Boulevard in Olympia to start on June 1

A Puget Sound Energy utility project is going to impact traffic along Black Lake Boulevard in the City of Olympia for a large chunk of ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 5/29/26