Back-lit signs give Lynnwood drivers heads-up on highways

LYNNWOOD — Two state highways have new signs at traffic lights within Lynnwood city limits.

The new street name signs are back-lit with LED bulbs to make navigation easier, city project manager Ngan Ha Yang said. They’re on Highway 99 and 196th Street SW, also known as Highway 524.

The increased visibility from a longer distance is designed to give drivers “more time to plan their actions at intersections,” she said. “The more advance notice they have, the less likely they are going to get into an accident.”

The project wrapped up this spring and included striping on Highway 99 and work on other signs. The cost was $931,000 in federal grants and $134,000 from the city. Each illuminated sign runs about $3,200, city spokeswoman Julie Moore said.

It took some time to coordinate with the state Department of Transportation and to settle on the style and lettering, city engineer Jeff Elekes said.

All city traffic lights are LED these days, Yang said. Most of the street lights are as well, and the rest are slowly switching over.

The illuminated street signs are a first for Lynnwood, and the focus was on wide, high-volume intersections. Eventually, the signs may be added to other arterial routes.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @rikkiking.