Washington State Route 161

On Sunday, October 16, 2011, I drove the length of Washington State Route 161, up the meridian... the meridan in the middle of Range 4 East of the Willamette Meridian, that is.

RCW 47.17.310
State route No. 161:

A state highway to be known as state route number 161 is established as follows:

Beginning at a junction with state route number 7 in the vicinity of La Grande, thence northeasterly via Eatonville to Puyallup, thence northerly to a junction with state route number 18.

That portion of state route 161 within King county shall be designated Enchanted Parkway.

In the forest just north of La Grande along SR 7, with my car's odometer exactly at 140000, we began Highway 161.


The highway heads northeast for a couple miles to Eatonville, curves west across the Ohop Valley, and then a mile later, is heading due north upon the aforementioned meridian. After a short curvy section to visit Clear Lake and cross Tanwax Creek, we're back on track. Clear Lake should have a nice view of Mt Rainier, but the clouds obscured it for us. About ten miles further along the meridian, we enter the South Hill community. We're on Meridian Avenue, stopping at every red light. Four miles later, SR 161 turns west to quickly meet SR 512. Here, SR 161 joins SR 512 on a rare state-route coinciding.


We cruise down the hill to Puyallup on the freeway. After crossing the Puyallup River, we come to this junction with SR 167. SR 512 ends here. SR 410 is mentioned on the sign, but doesn't officially start till another mile east. SR 161 northbound joins SR 167 southbound, heading west (naturally).


A mile later, the freeway ends. SR 161 and SR 167 part ways. SR 167 turns south, then northwest toward Tacoma. SR 161 turns north, magically back on Meridan Avenue.


We leave the meridian briefly to climb up the hill to Edgewood. At first, we weren't sure which city we were in. We didn't see any "Welcome to Edgewood" signs at the city limits, but we figured it out anyway. After a bit, we passed the town of Milton and the old state route 514, without really noticing either. It all blends together so well. SR 161 bends west a bit, leaving the meridian. We enter King County, where SR 161 becomes Enchanted Parkway, enter Federal Way, cross I-5 without access, and come to a slew of stop lights, the above portrait being that of the junction with SR 18. Highway 161 is at an end, exactly a mile west of most of the route and less than a quarter mile west of where it began.

Forests, farmlands, suburban retail. Rural road, expressway, city arterial. Highway 161 has it all...

Washington State Route 160

On Saturday, October 8, 2011, I drove Washington State Route 160 over hill, dale, and sea.

RCW 47.17.305
State route No. 160:

A state highway to be known as state route number 160 is established as follows:

Beginning at a junction with state route number 16 in the vicinity south of Port Orchard, thence easterly on Sedgwick Road to the Washington state ferry dock at Point Southworth; also

From the state ferry terminal at Point Southworth via the state ferry system easterly to the state ferry terminal at Vashon Heights; also

From the state ferry terminal at Vashon Heights easterly via the state ferry system to the state ferry terminal at Fauntleroy.

So here we begin, in south Kitsap County, at a junction with almost-freeway SR 16. The sign points ahead to Port Orchard and a ferry. One, we did not see.


The legal description specifies Sedgwick Road, and that's where we are. SR 160 used to be further north through the heart of Port Orchard, but that was really too slow and curvy a road to get to the ferry dock efficiently. But then again, 15 mph going up a hill behind a logging truck isn't all too speedy, either. This photo is at the halfway point of the road, just past the Long Lake community and north of the eponymous body of water.


We continue due east through forests, fields, hills, and valleys for a couple miles till we curve down to Southworth and the Sound. The road portion of SR 160 is at an end. Now we get a ride!


The Vashon-bound vehicles board the ferry first, circling around inside the empty ferry to face backwards on the starboard side. Then we Fauntleroy-bound passengers drive aboard and fill up the port side. The center of the ferry is almost empty, reserved for the cars boarding at Vashon. Once all are aboard, we shove off. Blake Island is ahead. Shortly after I took this picture, we reversed engines and executed a two-point turn. (Not a three-point turn, mind you, because this boat has two fronts! Starboard becomes port. Fore is aft. Oh, the madness!)


The sun glints off Puget Sound. The sea breeze wafts against my face. What a day to be out on the water! The MV Tillikum arrives at Vashon just before us, from the other direction. We slowly pull in beside it at the next slip. Cars get off, cars get on. The ferry fills up. Many more people boarding from Vashon Island than Southworth. But then again, you don't need a boat to get from Southworth to Seattle. A peninsula is not an island. This dock, by the way, is where SR 160 would intersect with SR 339 (the ferry going to downtown Seattle), if that ferry was actually a state-funded automobile ferry instead of the county-funded passenger ferry "water taxi" it currently is. How can it be called a state highway when it's financed by King County? Sounds like the equivalent of a county road to me.


After a long while, we leave Vashon Island. No turnaround this time. Chug across Puget Sound. Clouds, sun, sea. It never rains in Seattle.


Seattle approaches. Quiet Fauntleroy is about to get busy. SR 160 comes to an end. You must proceed on city streets from here.

A great fall day for a drive and a boat ride!