MONROE – Gov. Chris Gregoire is set to tour U.S. 2, a dangerous and congested highway, between Snohomish and Sultan on Tuesday.
The tour will start at 2:30 p.m. in Snohomish and end in Sultan. Afterwards, the governor will visit the U.S. 2 Safety Coalition, a grassroots group of local residents, officials and business people in the Skykomish Valley. The group aims to make U.S. 2 safer.
Over the past eight years, 45 people have died in accidents on U.S. 2 from Snohomish through Stevens Pass, according to the state Department of Transportation. Of those fatalities, 15 occurred in crossover crashes.
The state is expected to release a $1.3 million safety study for U.S. 2 in late September. Preliminary findings suggest projects on the highway could cost more than $1 billion.
The Legislature this year put $731,000 toward adding divots in the center of the highway between Monroe and Stevens Pass. The divots are intended to alert drivers if they stray into the oncoming lane.
The safety coalition’s priority is to secure money for a U.S. 2 bypass around Monroe.
A portion of the bypass worth $40 million is expected to be included in a list of transportation projects proposed by the Regional Transportation Investment District. Voters in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties on Nov. 6 are being asked to approve the projects, which are included in the three-county road and transit package.
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