Question: About a year ago I read an article in the Herald that stated that there was a consulting firm hired to do a study on how to smooth the traffic flow on Evergreen Way, particularly in the 41st Street SE-to-downtown section.
I have not seen any published results of that study or any action taken by the local traffic people to remedy the situation. The traffic on Evergreen Way, if anything, has become much worse in the past year.
Can you enlighten me on this subject?
Gerald Gill, Everett
Answer: Everett has not recently hired a consultant to study the area of Evergreen Way and Rucker Avenue and 41st Street SE.
However, the city did hire Perteet Engineering last year to help gather information from the public and stakeholders regarding traffic signal timing within Everett’s business district.
The study was on Pacific Avenue, Rucker Avenue, Everett Avenue and Broadway.
The consensus was that signals on those four arterial streets should be optimized to maximize vehicle capacity. The signals within the rectangle should be timed to be more pedestrian friendly.
The improved signal timings within that downtown district have been implemented.
Ryan Sass, Everett city engineer
Why add speed bumps?
Question: Eighty percent of the residents who live on Soundview Drive NW earlier this year voted against speed bumps. Why were five speed bumps recently put in? Who paid for them?
John Bushaw, Stanwood
Answer: A couple of years ago, some residents on Soundview Drive were concerned about the speed of traffic by their homes.
Based on the length of the roads in the community, it was estimated that approximately 65 humps could be installed. Because the area was outside the urban growth area, staff took the position that if the community wanted these design features, they would need to pay for the installation.
It was estimated that it would cost approximately $400 per home for 65 humps. The residents responded to the survey by soundly rejecting the concept.
County staff followed up with a letter to the community stating the humps would not be installed.
The advocates of the humps felt that county staff grossly overestimated the breadth of the project for the area and asked that a reduced area be considered. They worked with their neighbors and obtained more than 70 percent support for four humps in a small area.
Response to the installation has been mixed. Those in the vicinity of the humps are happy with the humps, while those who do not live immediately adjacent to the humps but live in the area and drive over the humps are not happy.
Jim Bloodgood, traffic engineer, Snohomish County public works
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