Truck bypass opens Nov. 19 in Granite Falls

Published 2:46 pm Thursday, November 11, 2010

GRANITE FALLS — A new road meant to divert truck traffic away from downtown Granite Falls is set to open soon.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled to mark the opening of Quarry Road at 1 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the intersection of Jordan and Engebretsen roads.

“It means a lot for Granite Falls,” Mayor Haroon Saleem said. “Finally the citizens can breathe easy knowing that we will have a route that will take the trucks off of our streets.”

The 1.9-mile route connects to Highway 92 and includes roundabouts at the intersections of Jordan and Engebretsen roads, at Burn Road and at Highway 92 on the west end of the route. The $28.8 million project was funded through local, state, and federal funds.

More than six million tons of gravel, equaling 2,000 daily truck trips passed through Granite Falls in 2005, according to Snohomish County. Construction of the alternate truck route began in July 2009 and was undertaken with the hope of reducing the flow of truck traffic through downtown Granite Falls.

The new road should give truck drivers a faster route and also be good for tourism in the city, Saleem added.

Quarry Road funding (in millions)

Federal government: $6.8

Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board: $5

State Transportation Improvement Board: $0.7

Snohomish County: $15.1

City of Granite Falls: $1.2

Source: Information from Snohomish County Public Works, http://tinyurl.com/QuarryRoad