Proposals were first drawn in the 1930s, and the highway has been codified in law under its current designation since 1970, but no construction has occurred.

The highway is legislated to begin at a junction with SR 410 in Greenwater, in eastern Pierce County.

[9] The corridor was included as part of an extension to Interstate 82 in a 1959 proposal by the Washington State Highway Commission that was later dropped.

[10][11] In the early 1960s, Governor Albert Rosellini established a committee to study the feasibility of a toll road.

[12] The route was considered feasible by the committee, and they estimated tolls of $1.50 per vehicle (equivalent to $12.00 in 2023)[7] would need to be levied to pay for the highway.