I appreciate that The Herald supports the expansion of right turn only lanes with transit exemptions. This does help provide smoother, more efficient bus routes. In supporting the expansion of this traffic pattern, The Herald had better be ready to take the car dealerships head on. Street parking on Evergreen Way and dedicated transit lanes won’t mix. When Evergreen Way was widened, the city wasn’t prepared to require the merchants to supply all parking for their customers. Is the city ready to do so now?
As a transit operator in Everett, I think I can speak for most of us when I say that we would welcome an opportunity to move through intersections in a fashion that would shorten the commute times for the riding public. Inefficient traffic flow adds stress to our jobs and regularly robs us of sufficient restroom breaks.
To make this work, the city also needs to enforce gridlock laws and eliminate center two-way left turn lanes. It does no good to have dedicated transit lanes on Evergreen if drivers on cross streets block the intersections. The use of two-way center left turn lanes is a constant cause of collision related traffic jams. U-turns at intersections work better.
While I support the transit-only lane with sections allowed for right turns for non-transit vehicles, I also recognize that there are problems associated with this pattern. If it is not an additional lane, it will reduce Evergreen to two lanes again. Just as there is pressure to eliminate the HOV lanes on the freeway so to would there be efforts to get rid of the transit lane.
Don Shagam
Lake Stevens
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