The City of Fife will celebrate the completion of the new Valley Avenue East in Fife at a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Oct. 15 at 8014 Valley Avenue East.

The completion of this project is the culmination of years of construction and collaboration, said Fife City Manager Steve Worthington. “This achievement is a key link in the regional transportation system that passes through Fife,” Worthington said.

Valley Avenue marks an investment of $20 million and the collaborative effort between federal, state, tribal and local governments. Worthington says the scope, scale and cost of the project demonstrates why government-to-government partnerships are a necessity. The Port of Tacoma, Puyallup Tribe, Fife businesses/residents and Pierce County each helped to finish the new road in one way or another.

Valley Avenue East was built 80 years ago during the Great Depression. The new construction project was started with design in the 1990s by Pierce County, before the land was annexed into the City of Fife. Funding and escalating regulations complicated the project and caused the budget to reach $20 million.

The completed project includes underground sewers, creek and habitat enhancement, sidewalks and landscaping. The project provides enhanced access to local residents and business and an important link in freight and commuter movement around the Puyallup River valley, the port and City of Tacoma.