Edmonds has big plans for its Highway 99 improvements

EDMONDS — The end of two-way center turn lanes. Adding designated spots for making left turns.

Wider sidewalks with greenbelts separating walkers from the nearby busy roadway.

Marked pedestrian crossings with yellow flashing lights to increase safety.

These are some of the changes that could be coming to the 2.25 miles of Highway 99, which cuts diagonally through Edmonds. The roadway is used by 40,000 cars and trucks a day.

Nearby Shoreline completed a similar upgrade to Highway 99 last year. That project, along three miles of the highway, cost about $140 million and took about a decade to complete.

The goal of the project was to improve safety for cars, pedestrians and bicyclists, but it also spurred economic development, said Dan Eernissee, the city’s economic development manager.

The improvements include dedicated bus transit lanes that also can be used for short distances by cars making right hand turns into businesses, and designated spots to make left turns.

Utilities, including power, cable, phone and sewer lines, are now underground, rather than cluttering the landscape.

Construction of the Interurban Trail through Shoreline was completed, with pedestrian bridges over N 155th Street and over Aurora Avenue near N 158th Street.

Landscaping was added to provide more of a buffer between pedestrians and the highway.

“We have seen that by doing these improvements we have fostered development along Highway 99,” Eernissee said. About 1,000 new housing units have been built, most of which are rentals.

Edmonds was able to start plans for similar improvements with help from the Legislature. Lawmakers approved giving the city $1 million to get started several years earlier than originally planned.

That’s the first down payment on $10 million pledged thus far by the state for the project.

Edmonds has seen some of the changes made by Shoreline, such as designating spots for left turns and U-turns, said Phil Williams, public works director.

In Edmonds, the current center two-way turn lanes have caused increasing numbers of sideswipe collisions, and likely will be a focus of what steps can be taken to improve safety, he said.

Intersection improvements could come to the 216th, 220th and 224th Street SW intersections, Williams said.

A traffic signal and pedestrian crossing with a flashing beacon could to be added at 234th Street SW near the Community Health Center of Snohomish County’s Edmonds office.

It’s roughly the midway point in a stretch of about 3,700 feet along Highway 99 where there are no traffic signals at intersections for pedestrians to cross the highway, said Shane Hope, the city’s development services director.

A draft plan with suggestions on what kind of improvements should be made, and what project would be the first to be completed, is expected by early next year.

At its Sept. 5 meeting, the Edmonds City Council is expected to approve a $467,517 consulting contract with SCJ Alliance in Lacey to come up with a transportation improvement plan. Developers have heard of the city’s goal of making improvements along Highway 99, designed to be paired with a recently approved plan for the corridor.

“They understand what the long-term impact could be and could take advantage of it,” said Mayor Dave Earling.

The city projects as many as 3,325 more housing units and 3,013 more jobs will be needed in the corridor by 2035.

Transportation improvements — “that’s the key,” Earling said, as well as finding ways to make a busy streetscape become a neighborhood.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

The inside of Johnson’s full-size B-17 cockpit he is building on Sept. 23, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett man builds B-17 replica in his garage

Thatcher Johnson spent 3 years meticulously recreating the cockpit of a World War II bomber.

A parent walks their children to class at Whittier Elementary on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett celebrates ‘Blue Ribbon’ award as feds cancel program

The Department of Education canceled the award weeks before Whittier Elementary was set to receive it. No Everett public school had won it in over four decades.

Two workers walk past a train following a press event at the Lynnwood City Center Link Station on Friday, June 7, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Sound Transit weighs possible savings on Everett Link extension

Amid rising costs, the agency could adjust the early design of the Everett Link plan. The proposed changes would not remove stations or affect service levels.

The Washington State University Everett campus on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 in Everett, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett allocates funding toward north Broadway bridge design

The $2.5 million in grant dollars will pay for the design of a long-awaited pedestrian bridge near Everett Community College.

Cali Weber, a marine biology intern for Surface Water Management, scoops the top layers of sand into a sample bag that will be analyzed for forage fish eggs at Picnic Point Park on Sept. 23, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Why scientists search for fish eggs

Data from the fish spawning sites act as a barometer of marine ecosystem health.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Snohomish County Council approves North Lake annexation agreement

Residents of the North Ridge neighborhood wanted to be removed from the urban growth area.

Everett businesses join forces to promote downtown nightlife

A group of downtown businesses will host monthly events as a way to bring more people to the city’s core during late nights.

Everett women steal $2.5K of merchandise, including quinceanera dress, police say

The boutique owner’s daughter reported the four females restrained her and hit her with their car while fleeing.

Logo for news use featuring Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
DNR transfers land to Stillaguamish Tribe for salmon restoration

The transfer includes three state land trust parcels along the Stillaguamish River totaling just under 70 acres.

Eagle Scout project connects people with deceased loved ones

Michael Powers, 15, built a wind phone in Arlington’s Country Charm Park for those who are grieving.

Doug Wennerberg boards the ParaTranist bus on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Week Without Driving challenges drivers to walk, take transit

The initiative hopes to educate about the challenges people who can’t drive face when traveling day-to-day.

Two troopers place a photo of slain Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Gadd outside district headquarters about 12 hours after Gadd was struck and killed in a crash on southbound I-5 on March 2 in Marysville. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
One More Stop targets drunk driving this weekend in honor of fallen trooper

Troopers across multiple states will be patrolling from 4 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.