The TV report summed up the situation for commuters about 7 a.m. Friday. Everything in the whole region was fine — except for the drive from Snohomish County to Seattle.
That should encapsulate the situation for the state Legislature, too. King County and Seattle scream the loudest, but there are no bigger needs than the ones in Snohomish County.
The 2002 Legislature must create a statewide transportation package as well as one with powers for regions to adopt their own options. Lawmakers cannot, however, expect their plans to withstand voter scrutiny if they focus on big King County projects that fail to address suburban commutes and safety issues statewide.
Snohomish County officials have put together a promising action plan, focusing on a series of east-west corridors and I-5 and Highway 9 for north-south drives. I-5’s problems in Snohomish County have become overwhelming. The Highway 9 project would widen the key route in congested and unsafe suburban areas (but not so far north as to create a long-haul trucking alternative to I-5, which some Whatcom County people fear). Among the east-west improvements, none is more urgent than Highway 524 (196th Street), which could provide relief in south Snohomish County.
In addition, lawmakers cannot consider a state plan without a four-lane divided Highway 522 to deal with what has been ranked as one of America’s most dangerous routes.
The good news is that the Legislature seems to be making progress — so far. No place needs a real highway package more than Snohomish County.
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