The state House transportation package proposes $15 million toward widening Highway 524 between 24th Avenue W in Lynnwood and Bothell city limits. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

The state House transportation package proposes $15 million toward widening Highway 524 between 24th Avenue W in Lynnwood and Bothell city limits. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Who wants a wider Highway 524 between Bothell and Lynnwood?

The project list includes expanding the three-mile, two-lane road between Bothell and Lynnwood.

Going east from Lynnwood, Highway 524 curves down a ravine to swampland that remains evident along the roadside, skirts Bothell’s city limits and eventually ends at Maltby.

The highway directly connects four communities: Edmonds, Lynnwood, Bothell and Maltby.

In Lynnwood, its five lanes are 196th Street SW. East of city limits at 24th Avenue W, the highway winnows to two lanes. During afternoon rush hour, that bottleneck creates backups into Lynnwood.

But a bit of relief could be on the distant horizon.

A proposed House transportation package includes $15 million toward widening fewer than three miles between 24th Avenue W and and Bothell city limits, but it will have to survive negotiations and the governor’s pen. The $15 million would revise environmental work and finish design, but a planning-level estimate from a coalition of Snohomish County groups puts the total project’s cost around $100 million, Snohomish County Public Works deputy director Doug McCormick said.

Highway 524, which spans 196th Street SW, Filbert Road, 208th Street SE, Maltby Road and 212th Street SE, between the Edmonds Ferry Terminal and Yew Way in Maltby has been the subject of growth desires for decades.

But after voters rejected a transportation tax proposition in 2007, hopes to widen the highway were sidelined. Instead, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) cobbled together smaller projects over the years, including roundabouts at intersections with Larch Way and Locust Way/Magnolia Road.

Interest in adding capacity to the road has persisted for people in the area, including Michael Scherping, who asked The Daily Herald if there was any progress on road expansion.

“I was curious to know what the plan is with widening Highway 524 between Bothell and Lynnwood now that Lynnwood has an ambitious city center plan,” he wrote in an email. “I imagine this road will be widened sometime before 2024 when light rail is operational, but my research only turns up abandoned plans in favor of some roundabouts? Is that really all they intend to do? This road needs widening pronto. I’ve lived in the area for 20 years and it’s always been a disaster.”

He’s not alone. State Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, said she’s heard from people in the 21st Legislative District for the past three years about traffic along the two-lane highway.

The state House transportation package proposes $15 million toward widening Highway 524 between 24th Avenue W in Lynnwood and Bothell city limits. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

The state House transportation package proposes $15 million toward widening Highway 524 between 24th Avenue W in Lynnwood and Bothell city limits. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

“We’ve got to do something to widen that highway,” she said. “It’s at capacity at this point.”

For two lanes, it’s a busy stretch. About 22,000 vehicles per day traveled between the Larch Way and Locust Way roundabouts in 2019, according to WSDOT data.

One issue hindering some relief of the car congestion is that the 35 mph road is too narrow for buses.

Community Transit’s district covers the area, including bus routes along Highway 527, I-405, and through Bothell. But the only Highway 524 service is in Lynnwood along 196th Street SW and goes west toward Edmonds.

Part of the reason is the width of the road, especially a bridge over Swamp Creek too narrow for buses. There are no sidewalks between 24th Avenue W and Ninth Avenue SE, which means Community Transit can’t install stops. But a wider road could create enough space for buses, sidewalks and stops.

“We are excited to see infrastructure improvements being discussed for Highway 524 in the southeast part of the county,” Community Transit spokesperson Monica Spain said.

Details about the project aren’t available. If it survives the final days of the regular legislative session, a report about it will be furnished that examines the roadway more closely, Ortiz-Self said. Improving bus access is one of her priorities for the highway.

“If we can increase transit through there, and then we have Sound Transit where people can go from one transit mode to another, that will save us a lot of traffic jams as well,” she said. “Plus, it’s more environmentally agreeable.”

In Lynnwood, the city recently started work to widen 196th Street SW from five to seven lanes with a planter median and wider sidewalks. The $50 million project is part of the city’s response to and anticipation of population growth, especially in light of light rail operating in Lynnwood in 2024.

Widening the road beyond city limits will ease traffic congestion as people drive east, Lynnwood city engineer David Mach said.

“If you look at aerial imagery of the area over the last 20, 30 years, you see a lot of development has happened,” he said. “But the roads are still the same old roads. There are a lot more people living and working in the area, and that trend will continue.”

Highway 524 where it passes under I-405. (WSDOT)

Highway 524 where it passes under I-405. (WSDOT)

Bothell made similar improvements. The House package proposal would connect them.

“It really needs to have that widening in that stretch to tie into the widening that Bothell has done to the east and what Lynnwood has done to the west,” McCormick said.

On the distant horizon, Lynnwood has designed a six-lane bridge from Poplar Way to 33rd Avenue W. It would cross over I-5 from from 196th Street SW, letting northbound drivers avoid the existing circuitous route to reach Alderwood mall and other destinations off of 33rd Avenue W.

“By putting another connection through I-5, it spreads the load and reduces the congestion on the other crossings,” Mach said.

There’s a long journey before any Highway 524 work could begin. First, the House and Senate transportation budgets need to align. Some project give-and-take is likely. Then Gov. Jay Inslee has to sign the bill without any further changes. With funding in place, WSDOT could plan and oversee the work.

“My hope is we’ll be able to get that into the Senate budget and pass it,” Ortiz-Self said.

Have a question? Email streetsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your first and last name and city of residence.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Firefighters respond to a 911 call on July 16, 2024, in Mill Creek. Firefighters from South County Fire, Tulalip Bay Fire Department and Camano Island Fire and Rescue left Wednesday to help fight the LA fires. (Photo provided by South County Fire)
Help is on the way: Snohomish County firefighters en route to LA fires

The Los Angeles wildfires have caused at least 180,000 evacuations. The crews expect to arrive Friday.

x
Edmonds police shooting investigation includes possibility of gang violence

The 18-year-old victim remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River. Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council approves water, sewer rate increases

The 43% rise in combined water and sewer rates will pay for large infrastructure projects.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Riley Boyd, 6, left, and sisters Vivienne Boyd, 3, ride a sled together down a hill at Anderson Center Field on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County shouldn’t expect snow and cold to leave any time soon

Residents can expect a reprieve from the snow until possibly this weekend. Colder than normal temperatures are expected to remain into next week.

Modern DNA tech comes through again for Everett police in 1989 murder case

Recent advances in forensic genealogy led to the suspect’s arrest in Clark County, Nevada.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.