Street Smarts: When’s the right time to merge?

Published 10:15 pm Sunday, June 21, 2009

Connie Trier of Everett asks: What are the rules about merging into traffic when the lane you are driving in is ending or being closed? I have a tendency to stay in the lane and merge toward the end, but I have seen others who merge earlier try to block cars from doing that, especially in construction zones. To me, it just makes sense to stay in the lane and then merge one at a time at the end. It helps eliminate those long lines of traffic. Is there a rule or law that covers merging?

Keith Leary, Washington State Patrol trooper, responds: In any merging situation, including entering a freeway or highway, drivers traveling in lanes that continue through have the right-of-way over those traveling in lanes that end. It is perfectly legal to travel all the way to the end of a lane before merging, but the drivers in the through lane are under no legal obligation to let the other drivers in. It is illegal for any driver to attempt to block a lane with his or her vehicle. All drivers are encouraged to exercise courtesy and common sense in their interactions on the road.

Fern Joyce-Marie Tully of Everett asks: Why is it taking so long for the renovation of E. Marine View Drive? Also, why are we getting the extra median insert? With trucks traveling that street so much, I doubt anything will grow there. Also, it sure handicaps drivers who may want to turn into an apartment building that the median blocks. There will be so many more U-turns. Is that wise?

Ryan Sass, city engineer for Everett, responds: Thanks for your patience as we complete work on this 1.26-mile road reconstruction. The bulk of the work will be complete by the end of this month. E. Marine View Drive has been an established truck route through an urban neighborhood. The center lane medians are designed to help keep truck and other vehicle speeds down through the neighborhood, as well as providing an aesthetic improvement. Other “traffic-calming” features include curb bulbs with parking, street trees and landscaping, and radar speed signs. The center median does restrict left turns in some areas and focuses the majority of left turns at intersections.

Michael Smith of Everett asks: If you have ever traveled eastbound on Everett Mall Way, you have noticed how clogged the right lane is. Nobody wants to leave that lane, thinking it’s their only shot at getting to the mall. I have seen people drive the whole length of the road, just to turn at the mall, preventing people from turning right. My solution? Since there are a total of three lanes, make the far right lane a turn-only lane. This will allow people to turn and will stop the “camping out.”

Dongho Chang, city of Everett traffic engineer, responds: We’ll take a careful look at this idea. This is used along Highway 99 in south Snohomish County. The turn-only lane improves access to businesses and helps drivers who are turning right. Drivers who drive straight through at the traffic lights no longer block the right lane. Transit and bicyclists are permitted to use the right lane to travel straight through the intersection for safety reasons.

There are some instances where prohibiting through traffic from the right lane backs up traffic that otherwise would flow smoothly. Backups tend to increase where right turning traffic demand is very high and drivers wishing to turn right back up past the next traffic light. Right turning traffic will stop in the middle lane at the traffic light waiting for a space in the right lane. You can imagine the honking and the impatience ensuing when we create such as situation.

We also are concerned about impacts created for businesses located close to the traffic light. Customers leaving businesses close to the traffic light may have trouble pulling into the second through lane, which may decrease visits to the businesses during the busy traffic time. We’ll need to consult and work with any affected business and property owners before implementing such changes.

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