LAKE STEVENS — The crossing at Highway 9 and U.S. 2, along with eight other intersections on Highway 9, is about to be studied for new ramps or turn lanes in the future.
The cities of Lake Stevens and Snohomish, along with Snohomish County, are pitching in extra bucks to have that intersection included in the study.
The state is using a $1.5 million federal grant this year to study 10 intersections from Marsh Road south of Snohomish to Schloman Road in Arlington. Snohomish County has agreed to pitch in another $30,000 and the cities of Lake Stevens and Snohomish $10,000 apiece to add the intersection of U.S. 2 and Highway 9 to the review.
Turn lanes, ramps and overpasses are among the measures that could be recommended for the intersections, said Richard Warren, who is managing the study for the state Department of Transportation.
“It could be anything right now,” Warren said.
There’s no guarantee that money would be available for any projects afterward, he added. “It’s the first step in obtaining funding,” Warren said.
The crossing at U.S. 2 and Highway 9 was originally left out of the study. Warren said the city of Snohomish had the choice of including either the Highway 9 intersection with Bickford Avenue or with U.S. 2. It chose Bickford Avenue, with the possibility the intersection with U.S. 2 could be added later, he said.
The cities of Snohomish and Lake Stevens have been eyeing an area northwest of the intersection of U.S. 2 and Highway 9 for possible addition to their respective cities. For that reason, it made sense to have a study of possible interchange improvements, city administrator Jan Berg said.
The Highway 9 intersections included in the study are, from south to north, Marsh Road; Bickford Avenue; U.S. 2, both eastbound and westbound; 20th Street SE; Market Place; Highway 204; Lundeen Parkway; Highway 92; 84th Avenue NE; and Division Street and Burke Avenue.
The state expects to have recommendations by this fall and a full report done by January or February, Warren said.
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-2339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
Learn more
For more information and to send a comment on the plan, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR9/RoutePlan.
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