State funding secured for roundabout at SR 203 and Tolt Hill Rd.
Published 10:52 am Tuesday, April 7, 2026
After years of advocacy, Carnation is getting a much-needed alteration to the intersection of State Route 203 and NE Tolt Hill Road.
The recently approved state budget includes $2.5 million for a roundabout at the intersection, which Carnation Mayor Jim Ribail says is one of the most dangerous in King County. It has been a long journey to bring this project to fruition, as the intersection is not in Carnation city limits and involves a King County road and a state highway.
“This is something that we’ve been advocating for for about four years now, and it took a lot of advocacy, not just with us,” Ribail said. “We just had another accident there last week, so hopefully that will help alleviate all those issues. Everybody’s very happy that we’re doing this right now.”
Ribail said a design for the roundabout has already been completed, and he hopes it will be approved by the Washington State Department of Transportation so construction can start sooner rather than later.
The intersection sees more traffic each year, along with increasing accidents, as nearby Snoqualmie Valley cities continue to develop and increase their population. SR 203 is the only direct route north to south through the Valley, and NE Tolt Hill Road is commonly used to get in and out of the Valley.
The ability to safely travel through the intersection has also come up in local evacuation conversations. In the event of a Tolt Dam failure, NE Tolt Hill Road is one of Carnation’s evacuation routes, and drivers would need to navigate the intersection efficiently.
Many local leaders and organizations worked to have the project funded, including the city of Carnation, King County Councilmember Sarah Perry, SnoValley Regional Chamber of Commerce, Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, local school districts and local law enforcement agencies. It was also supported by all six of the state legislators representing the 5th and 12th Legislative Districts.
In an April 2 news release, Perry also thanked Sen. Marko Liias and Rep. Jake Fey for their collaboration in Olympia.
“Our strong collaboration has resulted in a tangible difference for our broader community, ensuring that every parent, teen, commuter, bus driver, truck driver and more are safer because of this,” Perry said.
Funding for the roundabout was included in the state’s $80 billion supplemental budget, signed into law March 31 by Gov. Bob Ferguson. According to a news release from King County Council, the roundabout is one of only two new infrastructure projects to receive funding in the state’s transportation budget this year.
