Published: Monday, July 6, 2009
Edmonds ferry traffic changes planned
EDMONDS -- For nine months, white rubber pylons have blocked one of two entrances to Paradise Lane off Edmonds Way. That will change by the end of summer.
"We have heard from the community and worked with the City of Edmonds and agreed to move the pylons when the ferry revisions occur," said Mike Swires, traffic engineer with the state Department of Transportation.
The changes, he said, will reverse both ferry lane striping west of 100th Avenue West and the Paradise Lane closure back to conditions before September 2008. The changes were initially made for safety reasons and to reduce ferry traffic during the heavy summer months, Swires said.
Residents told officials they have disliked the Paradise Lane closure since the changes occurred. City officials supported the closure until February but agreed to support re-opening the street as long as the city's police department has the ability to use portable barricades to block off the entrance to Paradise Lane if necessary.
"My understanding is (Edmonds police) would only close off the entrance during high traffic times," Mayor Gary Haakenson said. "We'll have our own barricades we put up during peak traffic hours … DOT doesn't have anything to do with that."
The city was informed the changes will happen this year, Haakenson said. The intent is to finish this summer but it won't be as easy as just getting a few good days of weather, Swires said.
"The materials we put down were very durable and it's going to take quite a bit of effort to remove or replace it back to the way it was," he said. "Given other priorities it's something that's difficult for us to get a schedule for."
It's likely that the work may have to be contracted out, he added. Still, the plan is to reverse the changes this summer.
That's good news for resident Joe Scordino, who has difficulty using the one available entrance -- a sharp right turn -- onto Paradise Lane when towing his boat.
"It's a really awkward turn and making the right turn with a boat doesn't work well at all," he said. "I think it's going to make things a lot safer for everybody in the neighborhood. That's good news."
"We have heard from the community and worked with the City of Edmonds and agreed to move the pylons when the ferry revisions occur," said Mike Swires, traffic engineer with the state Department of Transportation.
The changes, he said, will reverse both ferry lane striping west of 100th Avenue West and the Paradise Lane closure back to conditions before September 2008. The changes were initially made for safety reasons and to reduce ferry traffic during the heavy summer months, Swires said.
Residents told officials they have disliked the Paradise Lane closure since the changes occurred. City officials supported the closure until February but agreed to support re-opening the street as long as the city's police department has the ability to use portable barricades to block off the entrance to Paradise Lane if necessary.
"My understanding is (Edmonds police) would only close off the entrance during high traffic times," Mayor Gary Haakenson said. "We'll have our own barricades we put up during peak traffic hours … DOT doesn't have anything to do with that."
The city was informed the changes will happen this year, Haakenson said. The intent is to finish this summer but it won't be as easy as just getting a few good days of weather, Swires said.
"The materials we put down were very durable and it's going to take quite a bit of effort to remove or replace it back to the way it was," he said. "Given other priorities it's something that's difficult for us to get a schedule for."
It's likely that the work may have to be contracted out, he added. Still, the plan is to reverse the changes this summer.
That's good news for resident Joe Scordino, who has difficulty using the one available entrance -- a sharp right turn -- onto Paradise Lane when towing his boat.
"It's a really awkward turn and making the right turn with a boat doesn't work well at all," he said. "I think it's going to make things a lot safer for everybody in the neighborhood. That's good news."
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