Repaved I-5 lane isn’t up to snuff
Published 9:00 pm Sunday, September 3, 2006
The quiet pavement on southbound I-5 in Lynnwood is loud as heck.
And bumpy.
At least a part of it.
There’s a small section of bumpy pavement in the right-center lane just south of the I-405 interchange.
Apparently, a key piece of equipment broke down during nighttime paving last weekend. The contractor decided to continue without out it working properly, hoping for the best.
The result wasn’t pretty.
“The finished product does not meet state and Wilder Construction Co.’s high standards for smoothness and durability,” DOT spokesman Travis Phelps said in a statement. “As such, this section of pavement will be removed and replaced between Sept. 13 and Sept. 15 at Wilder Construction’s expense.”
The work is part of the state’s ongoing $8 million project to lay down new pavement on southbound I-5 from Highway 526 (the Boeing Freeway) to the Lynnwood Transit Center. Along the very south end of the project, the state is testing two new kinds of quiet pavement.
By all accounts the pavement is quite quiet – except in the right-center lane.
Two new I-5 projects
Watch out for construction crews on two new I-5 projects.
A second set of cable barriers is being installed along 10 miles of I-5 in Marysville, the state’s bid to stop an abnormally high number of crossover accidents in the area between Marysville and Smokey Point.
The state and Sound Transit are also starting to build a park-and-ride and direct access ramp in south Everett at 112th Street SE.
The park-and-ride will be built in the freeway median just north of 112th Street SE, the first of its kind.
Ramps into the park-and-ride will connect directly to new carpool lanes being built along that stretch of I-5. Non-carpool traffic only will be able to get to the park-and-ride by using new ramps connecting to 112th Street SE.
Turn lane too tight
Question: Please ask the wonderful men who just finished the new road around Silver Lake to do one more thing.
As you approach 19th Avenue SE from 112th Street SE there are two left-turn lanes. The inside left turn is very tight as you get onto 19th Avenue.
The problem is that folks using that lane quickly drift over to the right-hand turn lane without looking and go their merry way. I have recently avoided three collisions by backing off when a car is a little in front of me and have seen other near misses there as well. You can also see a lot of tire marks on the curbs.
A dotted line or markers might help keep people in the confines of their own lane.
Marion Harlan, Everett
Answer: We will soon be adding a dotted line – also known as a skip stripe – between these two left-turn lanes.
Myly Posse, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation
Ask us about traffic
Have a question about traffic or street rules around Snohomish and Island counties? We can help find an answer. E-mail Street Smarts at stsmarts@ heraldnet.com.
