After decades of work, Marysville cuts ribbon on State Avenue project

MARYSVILLE — A long-term plan to improve access through Marysville along State Avenue is complete.

Over 6 miles of road projects took a few decades, but the road has been expanded to five lanes from the city’s waterfront to Smokey Point. The project also included adding sidewalks, improving traffic signals, moving utilities underground and landscaping, among other changes.

The city recently finished the final phase between 104th Street NE and 116th Street NE. In total, the project has cost just over $51 million since 2000.

While work to widen and improve the road stretches back to the 1980s, the last two decades saw big progress, culminating in a ribbon-cutting Tuesday.

The relatively new bridge over Quil Ceda Creek served as the background for Tuesday’s event. Originally envisioned as a culvert project, the work turned into the bridge. Part of that work included moving salmon after pushing them into a fish trap.

Building a new culvert, along with bringing in fill soil, would have cost more than just building a bridge, Marysville Public Works director Jeff Laycock said.

Work on the bridge finished in 2022.

Underneath, water quietly gurgled by Tuesday as healthy trees and plants dotted the stream bank. A fisherman himself, Laycock thought that part of the project was pretty neat.

“Just to know that you are actually getting that (salmon) coming up here to spawn in this creek is awesome,” Laycock said.

The final section of expanded road is just past the bridge.

The long-term vision for the project was to help manage growth, Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring said. He thanked his constituents and local businesses for their decades of patience on the project.

“We have to find ways to expand our transportation infrastructure,” Nehring said Tuesday.

Marysville continues to grow rapidly and at about 72,000 people, is the second-largest city in Snohomish County. In 2022, about 23% of its population was under 18. Traffic volume in Marysville has increased, Laycock wrote in an email, helping to necessitate the changes.

This includes the addition of large businesses like Amazon.

“For example, with all the growth in the Cascade Industrial Center, we are seeing more trips along this section of the corridor north of 116th, especially from truck traffic,” Laycock wrote. “Without the five lanes, queues at intersections will impact the level of service leading to more congestion and safety concerns.”

Part of the project undergrounded utilities and expanded their capacity to aid with future growth. Curb work was an important aspect of the rebuild, as well.

“Aesthetically, it’s a great thing, but it also has a practical (purpose) when storms come and whatnot, it has a practical use, as well,” Nehring said. “These projects are more than just about moving cars and transportation.”

Similar to other projects in other local growing cities — like Lynnwood — investing in upgraded utilities is partially a cost-saving move so the city doesn’t have to tear up the road again in the future.

Sidewalks and crosswalks were also upgraded up and down State Avenue in a safety effort. Community Transit has also targeted State Avenue as part of its future Gold Line bus rapid transit route. More construction will be needed to facilitate that bus system, but the road was rebuilt with future transit options in mind.

“Generally speaking however, the buildout to 5-lanes supports the option of BRT to run along the outside travel lane without impeding other motorists,” Laycock wrote.

Federal, state and local money has been used for the project over the past two decades, a large chunk of which has come from the State Transportation Improvement Board.

Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; X: @jordyhansen.