City Manager Neal Beets (in the suit), along with members of the Federal Way Historical Society, the City Council and Federal Way citizens look up at the unveiling of new historical street signs installed above South 320th Street - once known as Webb Center - last Tuesday. The intersection's historical markers are the first of many to be installed around the city. Photo by Seth Bynum
These days, most folks don't know that South 320th Street used to be called Webb Center, or that State Route 99 used to be called the Seattle-Tacoma Road.
A new program to add historical names to local streets signs will hopefully connect Federal Way residents with its history and these historical street names.
Earlier this year, at the request of the Historical Society of Federal Way, the City allocated $5,000 for 21 historical street signs at six locations.
The sign project is consistent with the City's Growth Management Act goal to "identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures, that have historical or archaeological significance."
The new design shows the current street name in green and the historical name below it in brown.
The first signs went up at the corner of South 320th Street and State Route 99 at a brief unveiling ceremony on July 22. The bulk of the remaining signs will be installed this week.
The city will place four signs at the intersection of State Route 99 (Seattle-Tacoma Road) and South 320th Street (Webb Center).
Towards the western edge of the city, crews will resurrect the names of Dash Point Road, originally called Maltby Road, and State Route 99 (Seattle-Tacoma Road) with three street signs.
The intersection of South 312th Street, historically known as Phillip French Road and State Route 99 (Seattle-Tacoma Road) will receive four signs honoring the area's past.
21st Avenue Southwest, formerly known as Highline Road and its intersection with Southwest 356th Street, once known as Libo Road will receive four new signs.
And finally, Meredith Road, now known as South 288th Street, will receive two signs where it crosses paths with Military Road.
The last four signs will be erected at South 356th Street (Libo Road) and State Route 99 (Seattle-Tacoma Road) during a construction project in 2010.
Rick Perez, City Traffic Engineer for Federal Way, said future street signs will be replaced with the new historical design as they lose their reflectivity.
At the sign unveiling last Tuesday morning, Councilmember Jeanne Burbidge congratulated the Federal Way Historical Society for the hard work and persistence the organization demonstrated in getting the historical street markers project off the ground.
"They're truly a committed group," she said.
