Question: With the ongoing concern for reducing accidents on U.S. 2 in mind I can’t help but wonder.
Bear in mind that state law says all stop signs are to be installed on the right side of the approach to which it applies.
Why, on such a dangerous road, would the state Department of Transportation take a shortcut when there was no need to do so and place the stop sign only on the left?
There is plenty of room for a stop sign on the right where Bickford Avenue and U.S. 2 meet.
A person involved in an accident at that intersection could argue that the state did not comply with its own written minimum standards.
Tom Joehnck, Snohomish
Answer: After reviewing this intersection, we have decided to install a stop sign in the island on the right side of the northbound Bickford Avenue lane to westbound U.S. 2.
This will remind drivers on Bickford Avenue that they need to stop before turning onto U.S. 2.
Mike Swires, DOT traffic engineer for Snohomish County
Web site for traffic flow
Question: Is WSDOT ever going to include the Everett area and out to Marysville on their Web page for Seattle-area traffic? After Highway 526 there is no information other than Marine View Drive.
Terry Schweizer, Arlington
Answer: As part of the I-5 Everett widening project, we will extend our traffic flow map, travel times and traffic camera coverage on I-5 to just north of U.S. 2. This should occur in 2008.
Unfortunately we don’t currently have plans or funding to extend the coverage all the way to Marysville.
Congestion and travel time information is generated using data retrieved from vehicle detectors embedded in the highway. This data is then transmitted via fiber optic cable to our traffic management center in Shoreline.
This is relatively new technology that has grown rapidly over the past decade and most roads were constructed prior to its development.
Martin Dedinsky, state traffic operations engineer
128th Street SE signals
Question: During rush hour, eastbound traffic on the 128th Street SE I-5 overpass backs up so far that it blocks traffic trying to get onto northbound I-5.
Would it be possible to sequence the traffic light (as was done at 19th Avenue SE and El Capitan Way) to have the left turn green come near the end of the green sequence for drivers going east on 128th Street SE?
E. Steven Ray, Everett
Answer: We have reviewed the traffic flow at this signal for several weeks, and unfortunately, we are unable to make any changes at this time.
The signals at the 128th Street SE overpass are designed to accommodate heavy traffic not only from 128th Street SE, but also from the offramps from northbound and southbound I-5.
We can’t allow traffic on these offramps to back up onto the freeway, which would increase the risk of rear-end collisions. We know it can be frustrating for drivers to have to wait at the traffic light, but safety is one of our top priorities.
Mike Swires, DOT traffic engineer for Snohomish County
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 stsmarts@heraldnet.com.
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