Date:
Friday, August 25, 2006
Contact:
Mark Leth, WSDOT Traffic Engineer, (206) 440-4487 (Seattle)
Meghan Soptich, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4964 (Seattle)
SEATTLE – Today’s "DOT days of summer" looks at a new project to manage traffic better in Snohomish and North King counties.
August 25, 2006
- WSDOT traffic engineers have wrapped up a project installing cameras and signals on several key arteries in Snohomish and North King counties to move traffic more efficiently on State Route 525, State Route 522 and State Route 96.
- Engineers have directly linked control of the signals to engineers in the traffic management center. This allows engineers to manipulate the green and red time, monitor system performance and coordinate signal timing as needed without driving to each signal.
- How does this help? On SR 525, for example, it will allow engineers to watch ferry traffic as it makes its way through Mukilteo and give the maximum green time to get traffic through the area and neighborhoods back to normal.
- Here are the roads where drivers can expect signal changes:
SR 525 from SR 99 to SR 527 (six miles)
SR 522 from Highway 104 to the Bothell city limits (four miles)
SR 96 from I-5 to SR 527 (two miles)
- We expect drivers to notice small, but important changes in the traffic patterns.
What other interesting projects is WSDOT working on?
Drivers have asked for a more accurate way to measure congestion for those who share the ride or take the bus. So, WSDOT engineers have created a way to separate HOV travel times from general purpose travel times.
WSDOT is very close to generating travel times for HOV lanes and putting that information on the travel times Web page. The new information is expected to be available before the end of September on this Web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle/traveltimes/
Drivers who share the ride or take the bus will see how much time they save during the typical commute.
What’s next for the "DOT days of summer"?
Through mid-September, WSDOT will count down the "DOT days of summer," highlighting key milestones for important WSDOT projects.
Why is this such a busy time for WSDOT? August has a lot of things going for it. It’s consistently the driest month of the year, days and nights are warmer, and humidity is lower, which makes painting and paving easier as the products adhere better.
Take a look at our construction calendar. Click on a day or a specific project to learn more about road work near you: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Construction/calendar.
WSDOT currently has nearly 400 active construction projects underway around the state thanks to the 2003 and 2005 funding packages approved by the Washington State legislature.
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