Mason County is looking at ways to provide urban enhancements to the Belfair area by completing a combination of roadway and utility improvements. The project would include enhancements to State Route 3 and installation of required sanitary and storm water sewer systems. The sanitary sewer system improvements will help reduce nitrogen into Hood Canal and thus reduce the dissolved oxygen levels which now threaten the Canal.

While installing the new sewer system will be challenging, it also presents several transportation
opportunities worthy of consideration. Before the county decides exactly how to proceed, it has launched a project analysis and feasibility study to help answer the many questions that the county and the people of Belfair have. Thus far, Mason County has been exploring the possibility of routing the new sewer systems down the SR 3 corridor for several reasons:

• Making use of highway right-of-way saves the cost of land acquisition for the new sewer system.
• Combining the work with several transportation improvements would make the highway safer for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Combining the sewer work with roadway improvements may leverage the project’s ability to
  obtain non-local funding to cover much of the cost.

Many properties that will be served by the new sewers are located along SR 3.
Mason County has commissioned an engineering consulting team to help pin down the costs and design considerations that would go into carrying out the project. The team, led by Perteet Engineering, Inc., is analyzing all aspects of the project, including cost, routing options, and funding sources; all of which will be published in a feasibility report.