Street Smarts: Roadway drains hard on tires
Published 7:59 pm Sunday, October 21, 2007
Question: On Evergreen Way between 50th Street SE and 112th Street SE the catch basins that drain water off the road never had proper pavement put around them. These drains are located in the right lane in both directions. They’re bad for tire alignment and they’re bad for tires, so no one drives in those lanes. They’ve been like that since they paved that section of road 10 years ago. Can this be fixed?
Marilyn Cope, Everett
Answer: The city repaired the section of the southbound right lane between 75th Street to 79th Place SE over the summer with a new pavement overlay. City crews will monitor the other locations and fixed those when needed.
Dongho Chang, city traffic engineer
Walk signal too quick
Question: Why is the walk signal at Hewitt Avenue and Marine View Drive crossing north and south so quick? Previously whenever you pressed the walk button, you had ample time to cross the intersection. Now it will only tell you to walk if you press the button before it turns green and then for only about 10 seconds.
Karen Hanson, Everett
Answer: The walk signal has been the same for many years. While we recently replaced equipment that runs the intersection, the crosswalk light has not changed. We will review the intersection to make sure the traffic light is functioning correctly and make any needed adjustments.
Dongho Chang, city traffic engineer
Roundabout etiquette
Question: Shouldn’t there be a “taking of turns” in entering the roundabout? Why should one whole side — maybe six to eight cars — get to go before the other entrances?
Becky Probst, Marysville
Answer: There is not a “taking of turns” for traffic. Traffic must yield to traffic already in the roundabout. Think about the operation of a traffic signal. One road gets the green light and many vehicles pass through the intersection. Then the other road gets the green light and they move through the intersection. A roundabout is an alternative to a signal.
Jim Bloodgood, traffic engineer, Snohomish County public works
Parking lot hard to enter
Question: There’s a new shopping center called Osborne Square at 132nd Street SE and Seattle Hill Road in the Mill Creek area. Concrete dividers in the center of the road prohibit drivers from turning left, so it’s only accessible on one side of either street. I saw a number of drivers headed east on 132nd Street make a U-turn and enter the shopping center. Is this allowed? How else should drivers enter the shopping center if they are going the wrong direction? It seems like a traffic hazard.
Rachel Gibbs, Everett
Answer: This is a highly congested location. Allowing left turns in and out of the Osborne Square development would add significant conflicts. The current restriction allowing only right in and right out movements is more efficient and safer. That’s why the developer’s request for left-turn access was denied.
U-turns can be made anywhere such turns are not prohibited by signs and the movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic. They can’t be made on curves or on approaches to a crest of any grade where the vehicle cannot by a driver approaching from either direction.
Jim Bloodgood, traffic engineer, Snohomish County public works
