Ferry lane road rules can get a bit confusing

Q Traveling north on Highway 525 toward Mukilteo, there is a dedicated ferry traffic holding lane. When turning into a side street across the ferry lane from the northbound lane or left from the southbound lane, who has the right of way, the cars turning or the cars in the ferry lane?

—Pete Stevenson, Mukilteo

A Dawn M. McIntosh, assistant area traffic engineer with the Department of Transportation, said traffic laws do not address situations involving conflicting movement between street traffic and ferry waiting traffic.

"Lacking a regulation, we have developed a black-on-yellow "WARNING" sign to alert travelers to the potential conflict at these intersections," McIntosh said. "We are in the process of working with the Washington State Patrol and state Department of Transportation authorities in Olympia, to develop the regulation needed to assign legal right of way for a right turning movement at these locations."

It would be enforceable after the appropriate signing is installed, she said.

"We are not considering new regulations for left turning," she said. "Based on rules of the road, a driver making a left turn into a local side street needs to yield to all oncoming traffic, including those in the ferry waiting lane and the local traffic lane. Our advice to ferry travelers is to yield right of way to local traffic turning at these intersections, and for all travelers to exercise due care by using good defensive driving practices."

Have a question about traffic or street rules around Snohomish and Island counties? We can help find an answer. Send questions by fax to 425-339-3435; e-mail to newstips@heraldnet.com; or address to Street Smarts, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206. Include your name and phone number.