Street Smarts reader Julie Hanner wonders about changes for drivers exiting the Winco shopping complex onto eastbound 116th Street in Marysville. The new intersection configuration now includes a dedicated through lane across 116th Street to an area where, so far, there’s only one business.
“So all of the cars that used to use two lanes to turn left are jammed into one lane, creating backups and confusion,” Hanner wrote. “People still take a left from the middle lane too, even though instructed not to. Why not have the middle lane be a straight-or-left turn lane?”
This little business access road has a name: 38th Drive NE. And it’s expected to get very busy.
“The new center straight-through lane (southbound on 38th Drive NE) was designed to provide access to and from commercial growth coming on 80-plus acres on the south side of 116th Street NE including a Sonic, Popeye’s, hotel and coffee stand as well as the Arby’s and Indigo Urgent Care clinic already open there and future development,” said Connie Mennie, a spokeswoman for the city.
The new intersection design prepares for that growth.
“Keeping both southbound lanes as left-turn lanes (as they previously were) would significantly degrade traffic flow because the intersection’s alignment does not allow concurrent traffic movements,” Mennie said. “As new businesses continue to open, southbound traffic will continue to increase and the intersection is expected to work as effectively as possible in this growing business corridor.”
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