MARYSVILLE — City officials are working to turn an overpass being built at 156th Street NE into a freeway interchange.
The overpass scheduled to be completed in November, will link Twin Lakes Avenue on the west side of I-5 with Smokey Point Boulevard on the east side of the freeway. The next step to make traffic flow better around the Lakewood Crossing shopping area would be to convert that overpass into an interchange with access to and from I-5.
“(The interchange) gives us an additional access point into what we refer to as the Lakewood triangle, and better access to the east side,” said John Cowling, assistant city engineer. “It also gives us another access point heading east over the BNSF (Railway) main line.”
The project is listed as one of 43 items in the city’s 2013-18 Transportation Improvement Program approved last week by city council members. Funding for the interchange does not exist, said Cowling. The city will first seek a funding source to complete a report for the state Department of Transportation to justify the interchange, he said.
New crosswalks, traffic signals and roadways also are among city projects planned in the next six years. Marysville and other cities are required by the state to keep an updated six-year outlook on transportation projects.
The pricetag for all the proposals comes it at $298 million, most of which isn’t funded.
The city pursues local and federal grants to help pay for transportation projects as the money becomes available, Cowling said.
The city is seeking about $1.5 million to complete the report on the interchange. It also wants to find funding to design additional east and westbound lanes along Highway 528 at the interchange with I-5 at exit 199.
Other projects on the wish list include roadway pavement repair and additional road work on State Avenue between 92nd Street NE and 100th Street NE funded by a federal Surface Transportation Program grant and federally funded signal improvements at State Avenue and Smokey Point Boulevard from 116th Street to 174th Place and along State Avenue from First Street to 88th Street NE.
The construction of curbs, gutters, sidewalks and crosswalks along 116th Street NE near Marshall Elementary School and similar features along Sunnyside Boulevard is also planned. The city applied for state grant funding as part of the Safe Routes to School Program to complete the pedestrian safety improvements, Cowling said.
Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.
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