Lake Stevens traffic chokepoint on road to relief

Published 10:36 pm Thursday, May 29, 2008

LAKE STEVENS — A major chokepoint that has vexed drivers daily for years is finally on its way to being fixed.

In just a couple of years, there will be as many as five lanes running from Highway 9 in Lake Stevens to the U.S. 2 trestle.

By then, a new westbound carpool lane will speed up the morning commute, and other work will shorten the slog home in the evening.

And it looks like taxpayers will pay millions less than originally thought for the work.

The road is 20th Street SE, a key road connecting homes in Lake Stevens to the main highways to the region’s job centers.

About 20,000 cars are expected on the road daily in coming years.

To make room, construction starts in July to add lanes to the road. When work starts, it will mark the beginning of the largest single road project ever for the county.

In the end, more lanes mean fewer brake lights on the road than today, county public works director Steve Thomsen said.

“There are going to be higher speeds and a quicker commute on 20th,” Thomsen said. The work will fix the chokepoint on the road at Highway 9.

The county since 2001 has planned to widen the road and has squirreled away money for the work.

Engineers expected the project to cost up to $69 million, but the slowdown in the economy has shaved $6 million off the price.

That is expected to put a few million dollars back into the road construction pot, which could allow the county to build the second phase of the project quicker.

It’s a relief to see a break in rising construction costs, Thomsen said.

“Finally,” he said. “Obviously it’s a response to a slowing economy. It’s good news-bad news. It’s good to see a $6 million difference.”

When told the county is likely to save money on the project, Republican County Councilman John Koster didn’t hide his surprise.

“You’re kidding,” he said. “That’s really good news.”

The county has been scrambling for the last few million dollars to pay for the second phase of construction, he said.

“In my opinion, (the money) ought to stay in that corridor and try to address congestion there,” Koster said.

Commuter traffic maxed out 20th Street SE a few years ago, forcing the county to halt most nearby development until a major road project could fix the problem.

Once the county has enough money for its second phase of construction, the ban on nearby development can be lifted.

The work to add two lanes to the road is more complicated than slapping down pavement. Construction was supposed to start in 2007, but it took longer than expected to buy up land for the project.

The county has to buy up parts of 93 properties, and in some cases entire homes along the route.

The road project also will interfere with some septic tank drain fields, so the county struck a deal with the Lake Stevens Sewer District to tie in a sewer line for the homes along the road.

The county and six property owners can’t agree on a sales price for some of the land the county says it needs for the project. The County Council plans to hold a hearing June 11 to decide whether to go to Superior Court to condemn the land.

Dwayne Lewis is on the list of properties the county wants. He owns a rental house and his business, Lew’s Two-Way Communication, on 20th Street SE. The company has operated more than 20 years, providing radios for police, fire and Navy crews, Lewis said.

The county wants to buy a slice of his half-acre of land, a move that would build a new sidewalk as close as 15 feet to his rental house and business.

Lewis hasn’t talked with the county about the price of his land, he said. Instead, his attorney is handling negotiations, he said.

“The county is trying to strong-arm us,” Lewis said. “I’m not out there to stop the project I just want a fair shake. They’re offering people 10 cents on the dollar.”

In all, the county estimates it is spending $8.1 million to buy the land needed for the road project, including property for ponds to collect storm water.

In a few years, a second phase of road improvements will add lanes on the road between 91st Avenue SE and the U.S. 2 trestle. That section is planned to have a westbound carpool lane in the morning to speed up traffic for buses and carpools.

The road carries between 14,000 and 16,000 cars a day, depending on which side of Highway 9 one is on. With housing approved in the area waiting in the pipeline, traffic on the road is expected to grow by 50 percent, county traffic engineer Jim Bloodgood said.

To chip away at that traffic growth, officials are pushing for better bus service and more carpools along the route. Having a carpool lane to the trestle might tempt people to give up driving alone, Carter said.

“We’d like to see more people use transit,” Carter said. “It would reduce congestion on the trestle and is better for the environment.”

Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.

20th Street SE

More lanes are planned for 20th Street SE in two phases (2008 and 2010)

Estimated cost: $69 million

Phase 1: 1.3 miles from S. Lake Stevens Road to 91st Avenue SE

Phase 2: 1.6 miles from 91st Avenue SE to the U.S. 2 trestle

Source: Snohomish County public works; project environmental impact statements