One stretch of road with two speed limits?

Thomas Munyon of Marysville writes: There is a stretch of about a third of a mile on 51st Avenue NE, south of 152nd Street NE, where the speed limit is 40 mph for southbound drivers and 35 mph for those going northbound.

This zone of ambiguity must make it interesting for anyone trying to turn onto 51st Avenue NE from any of the side drives. I can’t think of a good reason why the 40 mph sign for the northbound lane and the 35 mph sign for the southbound lane aren’t lined up. Is this intentional or an oversight?

Jesse Hannahs, traffic engineer for the city of Marysville, responds: In 2010, this stretch of 51st Avenue NE was annexed from unincorporated Snohomish County into Marysville. The speed-limit signs along this stretch were not changed by the city and it’s uncertain why there is a 1,750-foot difference in speed limit change locations.

It’s possible there was a simple oversight, a sign might have been damaged and not immediately replaced, or there was a perceived safety issue in the area at the time.

Based upon this question, the 35 mph speed limit sign on the southbound side will be moved north so it’s across the road from the 40 mph sign on the northbound side. It will be a few weeks before the change takes place.

Cecil Lipscomb of Mukilteo writes: What would it take to get a manually operated caution light and crosswalk installed at the intersection of 88th Street SW and the Mukilteo Speedway (Highway 525)? There is a Community Transit bus stop on the west side of the road but there isn’t a safe way for people on the east side to cross over. There is a light in front of Olympic View Middle School that I would like to see at this intersection.

Tom Pearce, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, responds: The light in front of Olympic View Middle School is an overhead pedestrian warning sign with flashers. The sign and flashers were originally paid for and installed by the Mukilteo School District to provide a safe route for kids to cross Highway 525 to the middle school and the adjoining elementary school. The overhead flashers were connected to the same system that controls flashers associated with the school speed zone along this section of the Speedway.

At the request of the city of Mukilteo, a year or two ago we modified the pedestrian flasher system so that the flashers no longer turn on only when the school speed zone flashers are active. Instead, a push-button system was installed so the pedestrian warning flashers can be activated at any time.

The intersection of Highway 525 and 88th Street SW is not part of a school walk route and does not meet our criteria for installation of overhead pedestrian signing and flashers. We reviewed the intersection and verified there is adequate sight distance to the south and north for pedestrians standing on the east side of Highway 525 to judge gaps in both directions of traffic and cross the Speedway. We understand it might take some time for pedestrians to find a gap in traffic and ask for their patience while waiting to cross.

This is also a good time to remind drivers that per state law, RCW 46.61.235, pedestrians and bicyclists have the right-of-way at crosswalks and intersections, whether the crosswalk is marked or not. Drivers must yield where necessary to avoid striking pedestrians and bicyclists who are crossing the road.

E-mail us at streetsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your city of residence.Look for updates on our Street Smarts blog at www.heraldnet.com/streetsmarts.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Traffic idles while waiting for the lights to change along 33rd Avenue West on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood seeks solutions to Costco traffic boondoggle

Let’s take a look at the troublesome intersection of 33rd Avenue W and 30th Place W, as Lynnwood weighs options for better traffic flow.

A memorial with small gifts surrounded a utility pole with a photograph of Ariel Garcia at the corner of Alpine Drive and Vesper Drive ion Wednesday, April 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Death of Everett boy, 4, spurs questions over lack of Amber Alert

Local police and court authorities were reluctant to address some key questions, when asked by a Daily Herald reporter this week.

The new Amazon fulfillment center under construction along 172nd Street NE in Arlington, just south of Arlington Municipal Airport. (Chuck Taylor / The Herald) 20210708
Frito-Lay leases massive building at Marysville business park

The company will move next door to Tesla and occupy a 300,0000-square-foot building at the Marysville business park.

Everett Fire Department and Everett Police on scene of a multiple vehicle collision with injuries in the 1400 block of 41st Street. (Photo provided by Everett Fire Department)
1 seriously injured in crash with box truck, semi truck in Everett

Police closed 41st Street between Rucker and Colby avenues on Wednesday afternoon, right before rush hour.

The Arlington Public Schools Administration Building is pictured on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
$2.5M deficit in Arlington schools could mean dozens of cut positions

The state funding model and inflation have led to Arlington’s money problems, school finance director Gina Zeutenhorst said Tuesday.

Lily Gladstone poses at the premiere of the Hulu miniseries "Under the Bridge" at the DGA Theatre, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Mountlake Terrace’s Lily Gladstone plays cop in Hulu’s ‘Under the Bridge’

The true-crime drama started streaming Wednesday. It’s Gladstone’s first part since her star turn in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Jesse L. Hartman (Photo provided by Everett Police Department)
Everett man who fled to Mexico given 22 years for fatal shooting

Jesse Hartman crashed into Wyatt Powell’s car and shot him to death. He fled but was arrested on the Mexican border.

Snow is visible along the top of Mount Pilchuck from bank of the Snohomish River on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Washington issues statewide drought declaration, including Snohomish County

Drought is declared when there is less than 75% of normal water supply and “there is the risk of undue hardship.”

Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour, right, takes his seat before testifying at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing's broken safety culture with Ed Pierson, and Joe Jacobsen, right, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
Everett Boeing whistleblower: ‘They are putting out defective airplanes’

Dual Senate hearings Wednesday examined allegations of major safety failures at the aircraft maker.

An Alaska Airline plane lands at Paine Field Saturday on January 23, 2021. (Kevin Clark/The Herald)
Alaska Airlines back in the air after all flights grounded for an hour

Alaska Airlines flights, including those from Paine Field, were grounded Wednesday morning. The FAA lifted the ban around 9 a.m.

A Mukilteo firefighter waves out of a fire truck. (Photo provided by Mukilteo Fire Department)
EMS levy lift would increase tax bill $200 for average Mukilteo house

A measure rejected by voters in 2023 is back. “We’re getting further and further behind as we go through the days,” Fire Chief Glen Albright said.

An emergency overdose kit with naloxone located next to an emergency defibrillator at Mountain View student housing at Everett Community College on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
To combat fentanyl, Snohomish County trickles out cash to recovery groups

The latest dispersal, $77,800 in total, is a wafer-thin slice of the state’s $1.1 billion in opioid lawsuit settlements.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.