Q: The stretch of Highway 204 between 91st Avenue NE and Highway 9 heading toward Frontier Village could be made more efficient with adjustments of lanes.

Currently, going east on Highway 204, there is a left-turn lane, three through lanes and a right-turn lane. However, traffic builds up significantly in the through lane farthest left because most traffic wants to get into the two left-turn lanes, immediately after 91st Avenue NE, that are used to get onto Highway 9 going north.

Because of the timing of the signals and the quantity of vehicles, backups have become quite long. Many cars use the other through lanes to pass waiting traffic and squeeze into the turn lanes. If the intersection and continuing road were relined to have a left-turn lane at 91st, and the next two left lanes continuing into the two left-turn lanes at Highway 9, traffic flow could be improved.

Jenny Sanders, Granite Falls

A: Good news today, but you have to wait.

Dongho Chang, Snohomish-area traffic engineer with the state Department of Transportation, said an upcoming project will do exactly what the reader suggests.

"The project will overlay new asphalt pavement on Highway 204 from U.S. 2 to Highway 9," Chang said. "As part of this project, the lane striping on Highway 204 between 91st Avenue NE and Highway 9 will be modified to have two left-turn lanes that begin at 91st Avenue NE and one through and right-turn lane."

A right-turn pocket will be maintained at the intersection of Highway 204 and Highway 9, he said. This project is scheduled for construction in the spring of 2005.

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