I-5 is a mess, so why don’t we have a north-south alternative to the crowded highway that is our transportation lifeline?
Extending I-405 from Arlington to Tacoma would unclog the region’s roads, suggests John Dunlap, a retired State Patrol trooper from Lynnwood.
Dunlap’s desire is to convert I-405 into a “true interstate freeway.”
Don’t write off Dunlap as crazy because state Department of Transportation officials say the idea – at least in the south part of the region – has some merit.
Dunlap says, in fact, that most of his proposed freeway is already built – it just needs new signs.
The most expensive and farfetched – that’s the state’s word – part of his proposal would be to turn two-lane Highway 9 into a freeway. But to have that interstate to Arlington, actual freeway lanes would have to be built and so would at least a dozen freeway exits.
From the south end of Highway 9, Dunlap would connect his new freeway to the existing I-405 by renaming a piece of Highway 522 as I-405.
Dunlap would stick to the current configuration of I-405 until it reaches Highway 167. From there, Highway 167 would die, forever becoming I-405.
At the south end of Highway 167, Dunlap’s I-405 would curve west until it reached I-5, effectively erasing that section of Highway 512.
“It’s not that crazy of an idea,” said Charlie Howard, the transportation department’s director of planning and policy. “What he’s brought up is a fairly logical thing to do.”
Dunlap believes having a true interstate freeway could qualify the road for additional funding, but Howard said that’s not the case.
“A lot of citizens think that we’ll get more money, that there’s a gravy train when it becomes federal,” Howard said. “The reality is, there isn’t any extra federal money.”
Though Dunlap’s idea gets a checkmark in the creative column, Howard said there’s virtually no chance Highway 9 will become a freeway. Snohomish County residents want a wider road, but they don’t want a freeway, he said.
Right-turn lanes
Question: I have been curious as to why the state bothers toretain the new lanes that are for right turns only on Highway 99 in Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.
I travel Highway 99 a lot between 196th Street SW and 236th Street SW, and I have to say tons of cars pay no attention to the right-turn restrictions along this section of road. I think the turn lanes make some drivers travel faster to get around everyone in the other two lanes.
Why not just open them up. At least then everyone knows it’s OK to drive or turn rightin the far right lanes.
Jean Holtrop, Edmonds
Answer: The bottom line from our traffic engineers is these right-turn lanes enhance safety and traffic flow.
Right-turn lanes separate slower moving traffic from through traffic in the center and left lanes.
Some drivers use the right lane as a passing lane or to jump ahead of other vehicles. This is illegal and dangerous.
Fortunately, few drivers behave this way and local law enforcement officials are on the lookout for such scofflaws.
Jamie Holter, spokeswoman, state Department of Transportation
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