Traffic idles while waiting for the lights to change along 33rd Avenue West on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Traffic idles while waiting for the lights to change along 33rd Avenue West on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Lynnwood seeks solutions to Costco traffic boondoggle

Let’s take a look at the troublesome intersection of 33rd Avenue W and 30th Place W, as Lynnwood weighs options for better traffic flow.

LYNNWOOD — One of few universal truths, at least for Snohomish County residents, is that driving near Alderwood Mall can be frustrating.

But getting to REI in Lynnwood is easier than going down to the flagship location in Seattle. A trip to the Costco on 33rd Avenue West after a run to the mall isn’t out of the question either.

Given the traffic nightmare at the superstore, Lynnwood is looking to improve traffic flow there.

Part of the problem is simply the number of roads there — five different roads connect in a quagmire slightly smaller than a football field. The newest is 33rd Avenue, built when Costco arrived on the land in 2015 where Lynnwood High School once stood.

The intersection of 33rd Avenue W and 30th Place W has a stoplight. Alderwood Mall Parkway and 33rd Avenue W does too. Two major lights in very close proximity contribute to backups there.

“This intersection is really causing problems and messing with traffic,” Lynnwood City Engineer David Mach said on a recent tour surveying traffic.

One solution to the quagmire could be a roundabout at 33rd Avenue W into the Costco parking lot, instead of the tight road that’s there now. When Lynnwood High School was where Costco is now, people used to cut through the parking lot. Now it’s a road.

(Costco did not immediately respond to a Herald reporter’s inquiry about traffic issues Friday.)

In that plan, the city would replace the traffic light at 33rd Avenue W and 30th Place W with a stoplight. It would also add a median to prevent left turns from 30th Place W onto 33rd Avenue W.

This would inconvenience residents near the Stadler Ridge Park area, who might use this route to get to the mall.

“There’s multiple ways to get home,” Mach said. “It’s just not quite as quick.”

The city is studying two other main alternatives. One would prevent drivers on 33rd Avenue W from turning left onto 30th Place W. The third would add a second eastbound through-lane at 30th Place W.

The city is also taking suggestions from residents.

One proposal would extend 179th Street SW to connect with Alderwood Mall Parkway. Mach said city staff ran the idea through a simulation, but worried another traffic light would make backups worse.

“We wanted to look at these options that people came to us with,” Mach said.

The traffic quandaries continue past Costco.

Following 33rd Avenue’s intersection with Alderwood Mall Parkway, it turns into Maple Road, which takes a driver onto Larch Way. Before it crosses under Highway 525, though, it connects with an unsignaled intersection at Ash Way.

All of those branches coming together is where thing get a little funky.

The default route from Alderwood Mall back to I-5 on both Google and Apple Maps takes a person through Ash Way — creating a dangerous mess where some drivers have to turn left across Maple Road, an arterial route.

Westbound drivers backed up on Maple nearly always leave space for turning drivers to squeeze through to Ash. But that’s not ideal. Lynnwood is prevented by hydrology from improving the intersection, Mach said.

The ground around Highway 525 is a peat bog, and a couple years ago the intersection of Ash Way and Maple Road had to be stabilized because the ground was moving. Local officials worried about the supports for the I-405 overpass and used culverts to fix that problem. Supports on the freeway are stable, Mach noted.

“The freeway wasn’t sinking, but the ground around, it was settling. And then with the culverts in the creek, it caused the road to flood during the big storms. So that was all raised fast,” Mach said. “And it’s all on piles, there’s tons of piles underneath. So we just don’t want to really touch anything.”

A westbound lane on Maple Road near the ARCO gas station could be added to allow for more traffic, he said.

Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jordyhansen.

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.

Alina Langbehn, 6, center, and Vera A., 6, right, sit on a swing together at Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park after school on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council votes to renovate Drew Nielsen Park

Construction on the $345,000 upgrade could start as early as this fall.

Northshore School District bus driver Stewart O’Leary pictured next to his buses shattered drivers side windshield on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Put me in, coach’: Bus driver back at work after struck by metal bar

Stewart O’Leary, a Northshore employee, has received national attention for his composure during a frightening bus trip.

Lynnwood councilor Joshua Binda speaks during a Lynnwood City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Does the Lynnwood Council VP live in Lynnwood? It’s hard to say.

Josh Binda’s residency has been called into question following an eviction and FEC filings listing an Everett address. He insists he lives in Lynnwood.

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.

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.

An American Robin picks a berry from a holly tree on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Calling all birders for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count

The Audubon Society will hold its 28th annual Great Backyard… Continue reading

A view of one of the potential locations of the new Aquasox stadium on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. The site sits between Hewitt Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue and the railroad. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Initial prep work for AquaSox stadium to start, with $200k price tag

The temporary agreement allows some surveying and design work as the city negotiates contracts with designers and builders.

Aaron Kennedy / The Herald
The Joann Fabric and Crafts store at 7601 Evergreen Way, Everett, is one of three stores in Snohomish County that will close as part of the retailer’s larger plan to shutter more than half of its stores nationwide.
Joann store closure plan includes Everett, Arlington, Lynnwood locations

The retail giant filed a motion in court to close approximately 500 stores in the U.S.

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.