I have to concur with the letter by Zeda Williams: “What’s theory behind new light?” Who was the “genius” that came up with this “brilliant” idea: Put a stoplight at the top of a steep incline that exits a heavily used highway?
I, too, use that route twice a day but am more affected by the afternoon commute when eastbound traffic exiting at Highway 204 is already backed up to mid-span on the trestle, and vehicles taking the 20th Street offramp aren’t faring much better because of the grade of the hill and the subsequent funneling down to a two-lane road.
Until they convert 20th Street into a five-lane roadway — as it is now at Highway 9 — with suitable access to and from the trestle, this light is a very bad idea which will only contribute to added traffic delays, collisions, impatience and probable road-rage.
For the time being, before that stoplight is activated, motorists accessing 20th Street from either 75th Avenue SE or Cavalero Road (where the signal is now planted) should be limited to right-only turns during peak traffic hours. It may be inconvenient for the few residents of that area and the drivers who choose to approach 20th Street at that intersection but it serves a greater good for the majority of commuters whose options to get across the Snohomish River are sorely limited.
I have to admit: I’m also surprised the planner(s) chose a traffic signal instead of their darling traffic circles or roundabouts (which are supposedly the best solutions to county-wide traffic congestion — ha!) Not saying I’m a fan of those but I’m amazed they didn’t choose that option instead. Just to be clear, however, I definitely do not want to see any more of those.
Robert F. Smith
Lake Stevens
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