Safety concerns limit road speeds
Published 10:30 pm Sunday, May 31, 2009
William Tate of Everett asks: The 35 mph speed limit on W. Marine View Drive from Highway 529 to the naval station has always surprised me. With two lanes each direction and a complete median, it appears to be overly conservative. I usually find myself driving close to the speed limit without much conscious thought on most roads but I really have to focus to maintain 35 on that stretch.
It there a threat in that area that I am unaware of? Is there a history of horrific accidents that spawned the speed restriction? I am curious to know how speed limits are established and if it is possible to have them changed.
Dongho Chang, Everett city traffic engineer, responds: Speed limits are established after careful engineering and traffic investigation. The city considers prevailing speeds, collision history, geometry of the roadway, roadside character and other factors to determine the safe maximum speed limit.
Marine View Drive was designed for 35 mph at the curves next to Kimberly Clark and at the curves near Alverson Blvd. A traffic study indicates prevailing speeds of 37 mph near the Naval Base and 44 mph near Alverson Blvd.
Our collision records show 31 collisions occurring within the last four years.
About half the collisions occurred near the Alverson Bridge, where the prevailing speed is faster than the maximum speed limit. Three of the collisions involved pedestrians and bicyclists. The roadway has about 14,000 daily cars and trucks and is our front porch to beautiful Possession Sound. The city also has a pedestrian-bicycle path in place along many portions of the roadway and plans on completing the trail as funding becomes available. The city will maintain the current speed limit for safety of the citizens that drive, walk and bicycle in this area.
Rules for turning left at red light
David Parker of Everett asks: My brother says you can make a left hand turn on red from a two-way street to a one-way street. I say the only time you can make a left on red is if it is a one way to one-way street and you are in the far left hand lane.
State trooper Keith Leary responds: Your brother is correct. You may turn left either from a one-way street or a two-way street onto a one-way street, “unless a sign posted by competent authority prohibits such movement,” according to RCW 46.61.055. The driver must wait for other traffic to clear out of the intersection before proceeding.
Bothell-Everett Highway traffic lights
Phyllis and Dick Dale of Silver Lake ask: The intersections of 110th Street SE and 112th Street SE at 19th Avenue SE (Bothell-Everett Highway) in Everett create a complex situation and the lights need to be re-evaluated to move traffic more smoothly. Also, when are they scheduled to widen 112th between 19th and the I-5 overpass, so the two left turn lanes on northbound 19th at 112th will move traffic more efficiently?
Ryan Sass, Everett city engineer, responds: The project to widen 112th from I-5 to 19th Avenue SE (Highway 527) is in design, with construction scheduled for 2010-11. Once 112th is widened, there will be two northbound left turn lanes available from 19th to 112th. We will review the signal operation at 110th and 112th to determine if some adjustments can improve operation during this interim period.
Free right turn allowed on offramp
Emory Whitener of Arlington asks: After using the northbound offramp of I-5 at 172nd Street NE several times and drivers behind me honked at me, I realized that, evidently, a right turn without stopping is permitted at that offramp. Or is it?
State trooper Keith Leary responds: The right turn at this intersection is a “free” right turn. There is no reason to stop prior to making the turn. The lane is designed to direct traffic into its own lane to provide a smooth flow of traffic off the freeway onto 172nd. A driver needs to remember traffic routinely wants to change lanes to the right in order to access several businesses on the south side of 172nd. The driver making the lane change needs to yield and allow enough room and make a safe lane change to avoid a collision. This interchange is under construction and may change when complete.
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