MARYSVILLE — Lakewood residents and shoppers can breathe at least a temporary sigh of relief as a long-awaited right-turn lane has been installed on eastbound 172nd Street NE at I-5.

The lane allows eastbound drivers to turn onto southbound I-5 without sitting through a red light. It is expected to help alleviate congestion that blocks drivers from turning onto 172nd Street NE from the Lakewood Crossing shopping center and adjoining neighborhoods.

The lane was removed last year with the construction of the shopping center west of I-5 and south of 172nd Street NE. Residents and shoppers subsequently experienced stifling backups in getting from 27th Avenue NE to 172nd Street NE, with the stores pulling in more than 13,000 vehicles per day. The outlet at 27th Avenue NE is the only way in and out of the area containing the shopping center and about 300 residents.

Powell Development Co. of Kirkland, which built Lakewood Crossing, paid about $50,000 for the restriping of 172nd Street NE to create the turn lane, Marysville city engineer Kevin Nielsen said. The money comes from $2.1 million the company paid in development fees to Marysville for the project.

Traffic from the stores is expected to more than double when the shopping center is completed. More housing is planned as well.

The lane was expected to be done in the spring but was delayed by several factors, including weather, new state sign requirements and completion of a traffic control plan, Nielsen said.

A quick survey of traffic in the area was done on Saturday during Labor Day weekend, a few days after the lane was restriped, and the improvement was noticeable, Nielsen said.

“There were no problems getting out of there,” he said. “I’m happy.”

City officials are studying more permanent fixes, such as creating an outlet to the south by building a bridge over I-5 at Twin Lakes Boulevard and 156th Street NE. The hope is to complete the bridge in two years.

The state plans to eventually build a new loop-style onramp from westbound 172nd Street NE to southbound I-5, which would keep westbound drivers from having to turn left across 172nd Street NE.

Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.