Drivers heading north on Highway 9 line up south of the light at 30th Street on Friday in Snohomish. Congestion prompted the Washington State Department of Transportation to make several changes. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Drivers heading north on Highway 9 line up south of the light at 30th Street on Friday in Snohomish. Congestion prompted the Washington State Department of Transportation to make several changes. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

No quick solutions to Highway 9 commute through Snohomish

Some drivers try shortcuts that frustrate neighbors and add to the gridlock in the area.

The smell of fried food and grilled burgers hangs in the air, wafting out from the exhaust fans at King Charley’s Drive-In.

It’s a Snohomish County classic for fast bites and thick shakes along Highway 9 and 30th Street/John Jump Road.

Nearby, a different kind of exhaust spews from an annual daily average of 19,000 vehicles creeping and idling along Highway 9 in Snohomish during the morning and afternoon commutes.

Backups can cause drivers to try circumventing the north-south congestion via a circuitous route to 30th Street and then back on the highway. People who live in the area say that path probably doesn’t save much time, if any, and dumps more vehicles than the east-west road was meant to handle.

Clara Heirman, a longtime Snohomish resident, is frustrated with the excessive vehicles and drivers trying to take shortcuts, sometimes dangerously.

“It’s horrible,” she said. “I nearly got hit twice (by) people running the red light. It’s just a mess.”

From 30th Street, drivers wait Friday in the intersection to head north on Highway 9 in Snohomish. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

From 30th Street, drivers wait Friday in the intersection to head north on Highway 9 in Snohomish. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Wendy Ermence Olin, another Snohomish resident, asked The Daily Herald about the intersection’s long waits, “several light cycles” during busy commute times, to turn left onto Highway 9.

“Isn’t there a way to adjust the lights to control the backup that keeps drivers from turning left even on a green arrow?” she wrote. “I’m sure I’m not the only frustrated driver facing this problem!”

The intersection is a known traffic chokepoint for the Washington State Department of Transportation staff. Backups and delays are common during peak periods because of the sheer volume of vehicles between 30th Street and the ramps at U.S. 2, WSDOT spokesman Jordan Longacre wrote in an email.

“The eastbound left and northbound through lane are the two competing movements that experiences the most delay for users,” he wrote. “For comparison, the northbound movement can take up to three cycles to clear the intersection and, similarly, the eastbound left turn can take two to three.”

Heirman is worried that drivers bypass Highway 9 traffic via 99th Avenue SE/Lake Avenue and turn onto the highway. She wants right turns to Highway 9 north restricted during the afternoon commute to keep people from looping off and back to the highway.

WSDOT has made a lot of changes to improve traffic flow through the U.S. 2 exchange, but prohibiting turns hasn’t been part of the package.

The state adjusted signal timing between the three connected signals at 30th Street and eastbound and westbound U.S. 2 ramps; installed flashing yellow arrows for the eastbound and westbound left turns, as well as the northbound and southbound left turns; added 250 feet to the eastbound left turn lane; and added a southbound right-turn drop lane.

Northbound Highway 9 traffic like this Friday afternoon led the state to change signal timing and lengthen turn lanes to alleviate some of the congestion. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Northbound Highway 9 traffic like this Friday afternoon led the state to change signal timing and lengthen turn lanes to alleviate some of the congestion. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

A “Prepare to stop when flashing” sign lights up to alert northbound drivers of upcoming slowdowns caused by the traffic signal at 30th Street changing. It helps reduce rear-end crashes, Longacre wrote.

Where the highways meet, WSDOT added a left flashing yellow arrow to allow more vehicles at peak periods to drive onto eastbound U.S. 2. Highway 9 northbound drivers can reach westbound U.S. 2 with a flashing yellow arrow for left turns, as well.

“WSDOT will continue to monitor these improvements to determine their effectiveness and if further adjustments need to be made,” Longacre wrote. “Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes for this area and it will remain highly congested during peak periods. Much of the demand is related to growth in the area and limited transportation options for people to travel to where they want to be. Both WSDOT and the county will continue to look for additional opportunities as funding and resources allow.”

For now, that probably means sitting tight and enjoying the smells, if not the real deal, from King Charley’s.

Have a question? Call 425-339-3037 or 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

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Everett
Adopt A Stream Foundation will host summer solstice market

Peruse local crafters and artisans or check out the foundation’s half-mile nature trail.

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

Marysville
Marysville school board appoints new member

Malory Simpson will take on the role left after board president Connor Krebbs’ resignation. The seat is up for election in November.

Bothell
Portal Space Systems announces major expansion in Bothell

The move will allow Portal to eventually triple its workforce as it moves toward producing one spacecraft per month by 2027.

Traffic moves northbound in a new HOV lane on I-5 between Everett and Marysville on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
WSP to perform emphasis patrols along I-5 in Snohomish County

State agencies will study data from the patrols to better understand high-risk driving behavior and the impacts of emphasis enforcement.

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.