New roundabout planned for US 2 through Sultan

SULTAN — Changes are coming to U.S. 2 in Sultan.

A new roundabout at Old Owen Road is slated to begin construction next spring. The roundabout will include crosswalks and new curbs.

It’s a $16.65 million state project, with money coming from the 2015 Connecting Washington funding package from the state Legislature. The 16-year program is funded primarily by an 11.9-cent gas tax.

“We are supportive of this important project to improve safety and mobility through the City of Sultan,” Mayor Russell Wiita said. “It is important that the state continue to invest in the US-2 corridor as one of only two year-round routes for crossing the Cascade Mountains from Puget Sound. As the population in the Greater Puget Sound region continues to grow at rapid rates, these needs will continue to grow.”

Gridlock on U.S. 2 is a major issue for local residents, emergency services and other travelers. Sultan often has a bottleneck of traffic, sometimes stretching all the way to the Espresso Chalet coffee shop 14 miles east. Driving between Sultan and Monroe is often no better.

All it takes is one crash, one tree across the road or one minor bit of road construction and traffic stops. Evacuation during wildfires is one concern, but summertime also brings hordes of tourists to the two-lane highway.

Compounding the issue, it’s one of only two year-round routes — along with I-90 — through the upper Cascades. The North Cascades Highway, another major route, is not open in the winter and often closes sporadically in the summer due to wildfire operations.

U.S. 2 has three stoplights through Sultan: at Old Owen Road, at Mann Road and at Sultan Basin Road. The new roundabout would replace the light at Old Owen Road.

Plans for more roundabouts are in the works. In 2022, Sultan released a U.S. 2 improvement report that said the best option for traffic in the town was an expanded four-lane highway with four roundabouts. The city is also looking at a roundabout at the intersection of the highway and Main Street.

Sultan relies on grants and outside funding to complete roadwork, city officials have said.

The undertaking is more than just a roundabout. In addition, ten other spots along U.S. 2 between Monroe and Gold Bar will see new curbs, updated crosswalks and widened truck aprons.

The state will put out a request for bids in the spring. During construction, a temporary road will be built so traffic can flow. Still, the highway will see some closures.

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