Road work is ahead for Highway 9 between Lake Stevens and north Marysville later this year.
People who recall something similar last year may experience deja vu at the news.
Around this time last year, reader Tim King was worried about cracks, potholes and ruts on part of the highway.
After some spot emergency repairs last year, he’s still concerned.
“Writing again about the terrible condition of the road surface of (Highway 9) from (Highway) 528 northbound to 84th Street NE,” King recently wrote to The Daily Herald. “… Getting tired of dodging potholes.”
Staff at the Washington State Department of Transportation know about the lackluster road condition in that area, spokesperson David Rasbach wrote in an email.
“Our scoping team visited the site along (Highway) 9 and found that the existing roadway showed deterioration and needed rehabilitation,” Rasbach wrote. “The team found cracks in the roadway that could allow water to seep through and damage the roadway’s foundation, which could result in potholes and costly repairs.”
The state has a $2.5 million contract with Granite Construction for repairs between just north of Highway 528to just south of 132nd Street NE. The contract calls for the company to repair pavement, seal cracks, replace pavement markings and centerline rumble strips, and reinstall seals for the bridge located near milepost 21.
Vehicles head south on Highway 9 towards the intersection at 64th Street NE on Thursday near Walmart in Marysville. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The 4-mile stretch of road was supposed to be repaired at least 5 years ago, but design work and funding issues delayed it until this year, Rasbach wrote.
The project excludes areas near the intersections at 84th and 108th streets NE, as well as a bridge near mile post 21. Those locations didn’t have the same damage as other spots along the highway, Rasbach wrote.
A Herald reporter’s recent drive along that stretch confirmed King and Rasbach’s comments.
That won’t be news to regular Highway 9 commuters.
Around 19,000 drivers use that section of Highway 9 every day, according to state data.
Population (and traffic) in that area along has boomed, a trend likely to continue based on projections and recent additions of employers in the Cascade Industrial Center.
WSDOT and the contractor had not scheduled the Highway 9 work yet, so King and others will need to keep dodging potholes for a while longer.
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