State again seeking two new I-90 lanes

Associated Press

SEATTLE — A plan to squeeze two more lanes onto I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue is being revived.

The Federal Highway Administration, which had earlier opposed the plan, said it would consider the proposal among three others in upcoming environmental studies. But the state will have to add safety features, including faster removal of stalled cars and lower speed limits in heavy traffic.

The plan calls for adding new lanes by decreasing the width of some lanes and moving existing walls and barriers. The eight current lanes are 12 feet wide, and the plan calls for four of the 10 proposed lanes to be 11 feet wide.

The 60 mph speed limit would drop to 50 mph in heavy traffic.

Environmental impact studies will take about a year, with a goal of finishing construction by late 2005, said Goran Sparrman, Bellevue transportation director.

Estimated cost of the project is $60 million to $80 million.

The state estimates the additional lanes would reduce the predicted number of congested hours on the stretch of highway from eight to zero in 2005. A westbound bus rider in the afternoon would save an average 2.8 minutes, said Bill James, a project manager at HNTB, an international engineering and architectural firm with a regional office in Bellevue.

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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