The state this week finished installing and activating traffic web cameras on I-5 between Everett and Arlington, filling in the only remaining gap in the state's web cam system. between Arlington and Tacoma.

Drivers now can look on the web and see views of I-5 throughout that entire stretch, while before there were no camera views of the area from Everett to Arlington.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Michael Powers of Stanwood writes: The new overpass at 172nd Street NE (Highway 531) and I-5 is wonderful except for one road-rage boiling point. It's on the ramps to southbound I-5 -- the short ramp from eastbound 172nd has a sharp right bend and it's hard to make that turn and look for traffic coming from westbound 172nd down the loop ramp, which is traveling at 60 mph or more.

Wouldn't it make sense to install an "allow traffic to merge" sign for drivers on the loop ramp?

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Last week, we tallied up your many responses to the question of what ticks you off most about other drivers, and boy, there's plenty.

We've had about 140 emails, and many other comments online at www.heraldnet.com/trafficgripes and on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/heraldnet.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Well, the votes are in. More than 130 of you have registered your traffic pet peeves via e-mail and there are a few mild surprises.

I was sure left-lane campers and tailgating would be among the most common complaints, and they are.

Turns out they’re only second and third on the list, though. I had no idea how many of you would be ticked off about Bad Merging.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

In nearly three years of doing Street Smarts I’ve had a chance to vent a few of my traffic pet peeves.

These include the slow drivers who camp in the left lane of the freeway. There are the drivers who are completely oblivious to what’s going on around them. Then we have the sidegaters. We have the drivers who unneccessarily stop in the right lane on side streets, preventing turns. And of course there are the engine idlers. Some people may be a few or all of the above.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Hopefully most of us who live in Snohomish County don’t have to use the Highway 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington much, but anyone who does, get ready: tolling begins at 5 a.m. Thursday.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Karen Hart of Sultan writes: I appreciate the long-needed widening project on Highway 522 near Monroe. However, I am very dismayed at the potholes that are rearing their ugly heads.

The dark, rainy, vision-impaired evenings make it difficult to avoid hitting them. I have noticed many cars, along with my own, hitting these holes, sending teeth chattering and alignments out the door!

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Paul Tounsend of Snohomish writes: The state Department of Transportation puts de-icer on the roads through the passes in the winter. This liquid is very corrosive, it will rust out a truck in two to three years - the brakes, exhaust system, drive lines, etc. It would be better to use sand.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

At least one inside lane on I-5 in the Smokey Point area will be closed nearly every weeknight for three weeks for work on the 156th Street NE overpass project.

This week, except Friday, the southbound left-hand lane will be closed overnight for the project, located about a mile south of the interchange at I-5 and 172nd Street NE. The closures began Monday night.

No closures are scheduled for Friday (Dec. 9), Monday (Dec. 12) or Dec. 23.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Jack Ward of Granite Falls writes: I am so apprehensive about getting onto the U.S. 2 trestle - most times it’s like a raceway. I can hardly wait to get off, into town.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

William Landert of Marysville writes: Why is it necessary to have dedicated right-hand exit lanes on the freeway?

These lanes are a real pain. Any lane change increases the chances for a collision, especially when you have those jerks who absolutely refuse to give you room to move over.

Bronlea Mishler, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation, responds: Explaining why we have those right-hand exit-only lanes on the freeways can get complex.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

The gates are closed until spring on the North Cascades Highway.

Crews closed the highway last Tuesday in anticipation of snow expected in the mountains over the weekend, with the possibility of reopening the road before closing it again for the winter.

Today, though, forecasts of more snow and rain in the Cascades and an increasing threat of avalanches prompted the state to leave the highway closed.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

If you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, it can’t be said enough:

Leave early.

Leave early.

Leave early.

You might say, so then what? If everyone leaves early, then you still get stuck in traffic, just at a different time, right?

No. It doesn’t work that way. Not everyone is going to leave early. Ever.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Weather, disabled vehicles and accidents have contributed to a nearly 20-mile backup on northbound I-5, from the Boeing Access Road to Shoreline, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Drivers are advised to consider delaying northbound trips until 7 p.m. or later, or face heavy congestion. Travel times are around an hour from Renton to Seattle as well as Seattle to Lynnwood.

For updates go to »» Click to continue reading this blog post.

The North Cascades Highway will be closed at least until Monday because of a forecast of heavy snow for the Cascades.

It’s hoped the highway can be reopened before Thanksgiving, said Dustin Terpening, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

More than a foot of snow is forecast for Thursday and some snow is expected to continue to fall through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Tom Hughs of Arlington writes: A few years ago, curbs were installed down the middle of 172nd Street NE (Highway 531) in Smokey Point from I-5 to 43rd Avenue NE to prevent left turns onto 172nd. Has there been enough time to collect data showing the reduction in accidents?

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Andy Kirkbride of Lake Stevens writes: I am perplexed about whether all the work that people say is to improve traffic flow on and off the U.S. 2 trestle has actually accomplished said goal. The 41st Street on-off ramp made getting onto the eastbound trestle 10 times worse. The work being done on 20th Street SE in Lake Stevens just moved the bottleneck but does nothing to address the traffic getting on the trestle with the convergence of Highway 204 and 20th Street SE. Seems they are spending...

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Anyone heading south of downtown Seattle the next 10 days, beware.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be completely closed through Oct. 30 while crews demolish large sections of the southern mile of the viaduct. They're also scheduled to install temporary connections to a new Highway 99 bridge now under construction on the west side of the viaduct in the Sodo district.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Jeff Rexroat of Mukilteo writes: I am confused about the electronic information board on Highway 526 west of the Boeing plant.

I have not seen it working all summer long. There is one on Mukilteo Speedway that does work and was installed at the same time as the Highway 526 sign. For the money spent, and for the ferry riders, this should be working. This is also informative for Mukilteo residents to know whether to avoid congestion on the Speedway.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

The opening of a new off-ramp from southbound I-5 to 196th Street SW in Lynnwood, originally planned for Friday morning, has been delayed until 5 a.m. Sunday, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Wet weather earlier in the week pushed paving back a day, and that had a domino effect on other work, said Bronlea Mishler, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

The new ramps from I-405 and Highway 525 to southbound I-5 in Lynnwood are now open. The ramps were opened at midnight Monday, five hours ahead of schedule, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The ramps were closed all weekend, starting Friday night, while crews finished the new ramps and connected them to the southbound lanes.

Now the focus shifts to preparing to open the new off-ramp to 196th Street SW.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

More weekend closures of ramps and lanes near the interchange of I-5 and I-405 in Lynnwood were announced today by the state Department of Transportation.

The southbound I-5 off-ramp to 196th Street SW is scheduled to close Saturday and Sunday nights. The ramp will close from 10 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday and from 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

MUKILTEO – Work to improve bicycle safety and access on Highway 525 at Paine Field Boulevard begins with lane and access closures at night this week. Drivers should expect short delays and allow extra time for their trips.

Crews are scheduled to close one lane of northbound and southbound Highway 525 near Paine Field Boulevard tonight through Thursday for grinding work. The lanes will close at 8 p.m. each night and reopen by 4 a.m. the following day.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

MONROE – Crews plan to close one direction of Highway 522 near the Snohomish River Bridge and alternate traffic one-way each night from tonight through Thursday.

The work is part of the $160 million project to widen Highway 522 from the Snohomish River to U.S. 2. Crews are expanding the highway to four lanes.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Debby Ames of Lake Stevens writes: Why not install a left turn arrow at 56th Street SE at Highway 9 for traffic going eastbound from the Snohomish Station (Fred Meyer, Kohl's) shopping center, turning northbound onto the highway?

A left turn arrow would help to clear the traffic more quickly, especially on weekday afternoons.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

With the weather shifting back to the Northwest norm, the State Patrol wants to remind drivers that roads can be especially slick when it rains after a dry period.

During dry weather, oil builds up on roads from the thousands of tires rolling over them every day, according to the State Patrol. The first rain doesn’t wash off the oil right way, leaving both water and oil on the road, making for deceivingly slippery conditions.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

Dramatic video of a motorcyclist being rescued from underneath a burning car on Monday in Logan, Utah has been posted on the Web.

Brandon Wright was hit by the car while on his motorcycle and dragged underneath, according to a report by the Salt Lake Tribune. His bike caught on fire and the flames spread to the car. Several bystanders helped lift the car off of Wright and another man pulled him out.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

A lot of people are ignoring advice from their mothers.

Or maybe they never got the advice in the first place.

One of the first things I learned growing up — a long time ago — is to look both ways when crossing the street.

I’ve noticed a lot of people lately not doing this. They simply step into the street without looking to one side of the other, as though there were no cars within a mile.

Younger people, for some reason, seem more prone to this.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.

With the Evergreen State Fair having started this morning in Monroe, some backups have been reported on U.S. 2 near the fairgrounds.

To check traffic in the area before going, visit the state Department of Transportation’s traffic camera page.

»» Click to continue reading this blog post.