Date:
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Contact:
Ryan Bianchi, WSDOT Communications, (425) 405-1785 (Everett), Cell (206) 786-4079
Connie Lewis, WSDOT Communications, (425) 405-1796 (Everett)
EVERETT – This morning at 6 a.m., WSDOT opened a brand new lane to northbound traffic on Interstate 5 in Everett. The right-most lane begins at 41st Street and ends at US 2. It was designed to help relieve the back-ups that have affected evening commuters for years. The root of the backup is the weaving of cars getting ready to exit at US 2 and Pacific Avenue and cars entering at 41st Street. All that weaving will now happen in the new lane, adjacent to the mainline traffic heading north toward Marysville.
The new lane is an important step to solving Everett’s traffic woes, but it’s just one part. The $263 million freeway expansion project also includes a new outside lane on southbound I-5 between US 2 and SR 526, an HOV only ramp serving Broadway and the Everett Transit Center, and HOV lanes in both directions. The project is scheduled to end in June 2008 but the contractor, Atkinson/CH2M Hill hopes to have all lanes open to traffic by the end of 2007.
Construction crews have a lot of work left to do and ask that drivers help out by slowing down and staying alert.
You can find more details about the I-5 Everett HOV freeway expansion project by visiting www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/HOVSR526toUS2/.
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