MONROE — The treacherous highway has yet to receive all the improvements that most agree it needs, but $13.5 million worth of changes to U.S. 2 have now been completed, according to the state.
On Thursday, crews finished permanent repairs to a section of hillside under U.S. 2 just east of Index. It was the sixth project completed this year to shore up trouble spots on the roadway between Monroe and Stevens Pass while money for larger improvements is sought.
“I think it’s great,” said Fred Walser of Monroe, chairman of the U.S. 2 Safety Coalition. “Any work that the (state) does to improve U.S. 2 is outstanding.”
The state has determined that the stretch of highway needs about $2 billion in upgrades. Work is scheduled to begin in 2010 to add turn lanes to several intersections between Monroe and Gold Bar at a cost of $10 million, said Patty Michaud, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation. The state doesn’t yet have a funding source for most of the $2 billion.
In addition to the slide repair, the following projects were completed this year:
More than 40 miles of rumble strips and high-visibility striping between Monroe and the pass were installed.
Three miles of the highway west of Skykomish were repaved.
Work was done to stabilize the hillside beneath the highway near Sunset Falls.
A Community Transit bus stop in Sultan was moved to improve safety for pedestrians.
A guardrail was installed near Skykomish and potential hazards were removed from the side of the highway.
A total of 157 accidents ended in deaths or disabling injuries along U.S. 2 between Everett and Stevens Pass from 1999 to 2007, according to the transportation department.
Since 1999, 50 people have died in crashes along U.S. 2 between Snohomish and Stevens Pass. Of those fatalities, 18 occurred in crossover collisions.
Walser said he’ll be in Olympia while the Legislature is in session this winter to lobby for more funding.
“The goal is to make U.S. 2 a whole lot safer, and the sooner the better,” he said.
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
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