For a moment, it looked like all the hard work to widen the 172nd Street NE bridge in Smokey Point was for naught.
When members of the growing community on the Arlington-Marysville border found out their bid to widen the overpass was not included in a list of projects funded by last year’s nickel gas tax hike, they were outraged.
But instead of pouting, they took action.
A group was formed, politicians were called, stories were written and, six months later, $7.3 million was cobbled together to build a wider bridge. Construction was supposed to start this summer.
But then, two weeks ago, a bomb was dropped – the lowest bid for the project came in $2 million too high and plans to start construction this summer looked like they would derail.
“We were just very shocked,” said Becky Foster, co-chair of Marysville-Arlington Transportation Relief Action Plan, better known as TRAP, the grassroots group that chased down the money to build the bridge. “Everyone was just mortified.”
Since then officials from Arlington, Marysville and the state Department of Transportation have been working on a solution, and have already come up with $1 million of the shortfall, said Paul Richart, Arlington’s city engineer. State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, has also been working on finding more funding.
Richart said the Arlington City Council will have to decide by the end of July whether to accept the low bid or delay the project, something neither the city nor anyone involved with the project wants, said Arlington Councilwoman Sally Lien.
“This is such a priority that we can probably work together to pull this off,” she said. “Nobody wants to turn down the bid. We’re going to do it.”
Foster said she’s confident that the shortfall will be covered. She said it has to be, because Smokey Point’s future depends on expanding an intersection that’s choking the life out of the community.
“We have to be able to get people in and out of this community,” she said. “I feel very reassured that we’re going to be able to do this.”
Traffic light priority
Question: The traffic light at 179th Street SE and U.S. 2 allows southbound traffic to turn east or west when a train blocks access to 179th south of U.S. 2.
However, at the intersection of Fryelands Boulevard and U.S. 2, all southbound traffic must wait for the train to go by – turning east or west is not allowed.
This causes unnecessary backups, and wastes a lot of time and gas. Especially, as the lights do not immediately change, once the train has passed. This is a really stupid situation.
Answer: There is a left-turn arrow signal at the intersection of U.S. 2 and 179th Street SE because of limited visibility. Drivers turning left can’t see oncoming traffic clearly. The signal ensures a safe left turn.
At southbound Freylands Boulevard, left-turning drivers can see oncoming traffic and the left-turn arrow isn’t required for safety.
We could add a left-turn arrow to the intersection at Freylands simply to keep traffic moving while trains pass nearby.
However, we invest money available for traffic signal changes in locations that will provide the most value for the dollar. We look for improvements that will best enhance safety or help move the most traffic.
Traffic data for this intersection indicates that a relatively limited number of drivers would use an added left-turn arrow signal. As a result, installing a green left-turn arrow at Freylands can’t compete with busier intersections that need signal improvements.
Jamie Holter, spokeswoman, state Department of Transportation
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or stsmarts@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
