Yelm Loop on track to go to construction by next spring

The Yelm Loop project, also known as the Yelm Bypass, has been in the works for decades but the finish line is now in view.

The project is expected to go out for bid in November, with construction set to occur in spring of 2026.

Mayor Joe DePinto gave the Nisqually Valley News an update on the Yelm Loop’s timeline during an interview on Monday, Oct. 6, and highlighted some of the work that’s gone in to get the project to this point.

“When I came into office in 2022, Gov. (Jay) Inslee had just pushed the Yelm Loop project back to 2032. I met with him, and I met with governor (Bob) Ferguson, too. I let them know the importance of the project to us, the impacts it has on the community and region. I also met with the chairs and members of the House and Senate transportation committee. I let them know,” DePinto said. “We had a great partner in (Rep.) Andrew Barkis. He was the greatest champion for us to get that done. We were able, in 2022, to get the bypass to the current timeline it’s at right now. It should’ve gone in a little earlier this year, but the last delay was because WSDOT found an obsidian arrowhead, which belonged to a Nisqually Indian Tribe member from centuries ago.”

Following the discovery of the obsidian arrowhead, DePinto said the Nisqually Indian Tribe requested a deep cultural study of the region. Eventually, the Tribe signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with WSDOT to proceed with the project.

“After that, earlier this year they did all the utilities. Puget Sound Energy, Comcast and other utility providers moved all their lines next to Walmart,” DePinto said. “You saw all of the construction earlier this year. They finished that up a few months ago. Currently, WSDOT is finishing up their last property acquisition for a small parcel. Part of it came through that (memorandum of understanding). It’s a 20-foot parcel they need to get ahold of.”

DePinto added that WSDOT is working with those local landowners, and he believes there will be a finalization of land acquisition soon. Additionally, DePinto believes the early-to-mid November timeline for construction bids of the Yelm Loop is still accurate.

Additionally, he said the target goal of spring 2026 construction has not changed, either.

“If they can’t finish that property acquisition, the construction timeline still remains in the spring. That does not change,” DePinto said. “The construction bid date might move back a little bit, but they said don’t worry. We’re meeting with them almost weekly at this point. Nothing has changed on the timeline. Construction will happen in the spring of next year, and that’s not going to change.”

According to the mayor, all of the other objectives in the project were completed. He added that the Yelm Loop is still moving forward, and noted it will “100% happen.”

“It took a lot of effort. It was so close to being pushed back again, and even this last session they were talking about it. We had to fight tooth and nail to make sure that funding stayed. People don’t understand all the different variables involved, and once they hear it’s funded, they think it’s funded forever. It’s not. The state legislature can take that money away, which they have for other projects. A lot of projects that have been in the pipeline for a long time got cut this year. We’re very lucky,” DePinto said. “Andrew Barkis fought for us so hard, as did I, but he’s got the real authority up there as a state Legislature and ranking member of the transportation committee. All the credit should go to him for really pushing for this and getting it done. He really pushed for this project, and I’m really thankful for him.”