Heavy eastbound traffic was ignored

The story in Friday’s Herald (“Now you’re good to go on a wider I-5”) was carefully orchestrated to exclude discussion about the new logjam spawned as a result of the project — the eastbound exit to U.S. 2 from northbound I-5. It seems obvious (to me) that removing the impediments to a speedy northbound commute further south would shift the tie-up north, and it has.

Other than through northbound traffic continuing beyond Marine View Drive, where does the heaviest flow pattern exist? Eastbound U.S. 2, of course, where an ever-increasing portion of county residents are living. That being the case, why wasn’t the exit widened to two lanes instead of leaving it at an inadequate one? To me, it’s a no-brainer, given the scope and intent of the project as a whole. Widening the exit would have been relatively cheap and easy and could have effectively reduced the clogged artery effect seen at the location nearly every weekday afternoon. So instead of praising the designer, contractor, and DOT for a job well done, I would just like to ask, where were your heads at?

Dave Martson

Marysville