PORT ANGELES — The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe is expanding its efforts near South Dry Creek Road and U.S. Highway 101, its CEO said Tuesday.
Michael Peters, the tribe’s CEO, told those at the Port Angeles Business Association meeting Tuesday that the tribe is preparing to move Klallam Counseling Services into a new 10,000-square-foot building next to the Lower Elwha Health Clinic, 243511 U.S. Highway 101, Port Angeles.
The new wellness center is scheduled to open in late August, just before the Klallam Counseling Services lease is up in September at its current address, 933 E. First St., Port Angeles.
“[The tribe] had a concept plan for a wellness center at that location for years,” Peters said. “This is the first step of expanding that property.”
The tribe is also working on a $750,000 road-widening project on Highway 101 at the turn into the Lower Elwha Health Clinic’s parking lot.
Crews began work on a deceleration lane and an acceleration lane last week, Peters said.
Another change coming could be the speed limit near the tribe’s developments on Highway 101. Peters said the tribe will propose to drop the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph because of how difficult it is to turn east from the complex.
“We still haven’t worked out the details on individuals traveling east,” he said. “We’re trying hard, and you know how difficult it is to change speed limits, but that is the preferred idea for us.”
He said roadwork on Highway 101 should be finished around Oct. 1 and that its schedule is “pretty much driven by the Department of Transportation.”
As work continues, the tribe is looking toward its longer-term goal of expanding health services on the 40-acre property.
“Our goal at that — the next step — is to try to focus on expanding our dental provider and building a new health administration building,” Peters said.
Currently, billing and health administration work out of the Lower Elwha Health Clinic, he said.
Moving them into a new building would provide more space to provide services to patients, he said.
Peters said there are also plans to make another entrance to the complex to the west at a “later date.”
Not far down the highway, the tribe plans to expand Lower Elwha Food and Fuel, 4773 S. Dry Creek Rd.
The $3 million gas station-convenience store opened in May and has been “tremendously successful,” Peters said.
“Now we are in the planning stages of expansion,” he said.
Peters said the goal is to expand the canopy on the north side of the building and add four fast fuel diesel pumps in hopes of capturing more truck traffic that would otherwise fill up at Masco.
He said that because of the lead time on petroleum equipment, the expansion is likely 90 to 120 days out.
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
