Street Smarts: I-5 speed change doomed to failure

Published 10:58 pm Sunday, September 23, 2007

Drivers who were told to not slow down to 50 mph in the Everett construction zone on I-5 last week are miffed.

The state Department of Transportation in August put up advisory 50 mph speed limits to protect construction workers and drivers, Herald readers were told. This speed reduction came after a construction worker was injured and after several other near misses.

Getting everyone to slow down would be the prudent thing to do, right?

Apparently not.

Last week, construction workers could be seen tearing out the 50 mph signs.

Apparently many drivers ignored the 50 mph signs, choosing instead to drive 60 mph to 70 mph, or even faster.

That mixing of speeds, with a potential 20 mph difference between any two cars, became dangerous, prompting the signs to be removed.

“It might be less confusing for drivers if they (had) covered up the 60 mph signs and left the 50 mph signs up,” said Gale Kennedy of Everett.

But the state couldn’t cover those signs, said Ryan Bianchi, a DOT spokesman.

“It takes a political process to change the speed limit,” Bianchi said. “We cannot change the speed limit.”

The DOT can only issue “advisory speed limits,” which is what it did.

So, drivers ended up seeing both 60 mph and 50 mph signs along the same stretch of highway.

“The 50 mph signs were a great idea,” said Janet Street of Marysville. “Just when coupled with the existing 60 mph signs, there was confusion and so no one slowed down. Also there were too few 50 mph signs and no sign when the restriction ended was evident.”

So now all the state can do is urge drivers to be cautious, drive slowly (but not too slowly), and watch out for construction workers.

That’s not good enough, Street and Kennedy agreed.

“I think the lowered speed limit is necessary in that area,” Kennedy said. “I’m one of those drivers who slowed down.”

What a mess.

Who can access 112th Street park-and-ride lot?

Question: I and my fellow Metro van riders and drivers have a question regarding the new park-and-ride at 112th Street SE off I-5.

From the newspaper articles in The Herald, we are led to believe from the wording that vanpools and carpools will be allowed to use the carpool lanes that exit directly on and off the freeway into this park and ride. As we found out from the Ash Way direct access ramp, misleading articles in the newspapers were not correct about the use of the exits and entrances for all traffic. As it turned out, only buses are allowed to use direct ramps from that park and ride.

Mary Veurink, Everett

Answer: Carpools, vanpools and other vehicles with more than one passenger will be able to use the new freeway ramps to enter and exit the South Everett Freeway Station from I-5.

General vehicle access will be from the 112th Street SE bridge and a new ramp leading into the station. For more information on the project, visit our Web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/­projects/i5/southeverett.

Laura Johnson, DOT spokeswoman

Pose us your traffic queries

Have a question about traffic or street rules around Snohomish and Island counties? We can help find an answer. E-mail stsmarts@heraldnet.com.