Merging on U.S. 2 is poorly marked

Published 10:23 pm Sunday, December 27, 2009

John Taylor of Snohomish writes: At the east end of the U.S. 2 trestle, there is striping that channels traffic into the passing lane around the corner towards Snohomish and Monroe. It makes it very difficult and dangerous for traffic to merge from Highway 204 or 20th Street SE underneath the trestle to eastbound U.S. 2.

Wouldn’t it be safer to direct the trestle traffic into the other lane until after they get around the corner?

Bronlea Mishler, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation, responds: We plan to install three signs, two on U.S. 2 and one on the ramp from Highway 204 and 20th Street SE so drivers are more aware of traffic merging onto eastbound U.S. 2.

Drivers may not be prepared for merging traffic because the ramp from Highway 204 to U.S. 2 is located on the left side of the highway. Most onramps and offramps are located to the right. We plan to install a merging traffic advisory sign on eastbound U.S. 2 so drivers are aware that they are approaching a merge point.

Additionally, the restriping of the eastbound U.S. 2 trestle has meant that more drivers are in the left lane as they approach the merge point at Highway 204. As U.S. 2 curves to the south, two lanes are available to drivers. During peak hours, the right shoulder is open to traffic, and drivers who use the shoulder can continue in the right lane. During nonpeak hours, when the shoulder is closed, all drivers approach this merge point in the left lane. A sign is currently posted where shoulder driving ends and a second lane begins. It directs drivers to use both lanes as they approach the Highway 204 merge. We plan to install another sign just east of this sign that advises drivers to keep right except when passing. We hope that will encourage more drivers to move into the right lane as they approach the Highway 204 merge.

We also discovered that the sign on the onramp from Highway 204 to eastbound U.S. 2 doesn’t clearly explain the lane arrangements. The current sign warns the ramp driver of a merge ahead, but the symbol indicates that Highway 204 traffic is on a major roadway and shouldn’t have an expectation to merge with other traffic. The new sign better explains the actual lane arrangement and indicates the ramp is the minor roadway, which means drivers must expect to merge with mainline traffic.

U-turns in Monroe

Jim Terry of Monroe writes: At the intersection of eastbound U.S. 2 and Kelsey Street in Monroe, when they widened the road they made extra room for a U-turn. The curb that divides the turn lane from the oncoming traffic stops quite a ways back from the intersection, but the double-yellow stripe continues up to the stop line.

As someone who frequently turns right from southbound Kelsey to westbound U.S. 2, I’ve noticed that about half of the cars will continue up to the stop line at the signal to complete their U-turns, but the other half will simply start their U-turn at the end of the curb, which is right in the path of the people turning right.

I’ve even seen several people make the U-turn from the end of the curb on the red light, because the end of the curb is so far back from the intersection. I recognize that large trucks may need the extra space to make the U-turn, but is it legal for cars to make the turn so far back from the intersection? Since they’re not up at the intersection can they make that turn while ignoring the signal?

Bronlea Mishler replies: Thank you for bringing our attention to this problem. After reviewing the intersection design and watching the patterns of cars making U-turns, we think the best solution is to extend the curbing so it stops approximately 10 feet behind the stop line.

We’re currently figuring out the best way to extend and install the curb, and we’ll get it installed as soon as the weather permits.

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