If you recently drove on southbound I-5 in Everett, you may have noticed a little more space. A sunny, dry Friday and Saturday on Apr. 4 and 5 helped crews clear some big hurdles by opening new lanes, resurfacing ramps and removing the traffic split on southbound I-5.
On early Sunday morning, crews had another surprise. They extended the auxiliary lane on southbound I-5 to US 2. Traffic merging to southbound I-5 from westbound US 2 may now stay in this new lane until it exits to SR 526.
Westbound US 2 drivers now merge with I-5 southbound in an auxiliary lane, a new right lane that continues southbound parallel to mainline traffic. This lane eventually exits at SR 526.
As US 2 southbound drivers move south in the new auxiliary lane, they should be cautious of mainline drivers merging from the left and crossing this lane to exit at 41st Street. Drivers at this section of I-5 are also merging into the lane from the Pacific Avenue and Broadway on-ramps. The new 41st Street on-ramp will merge into this auxiliary lane when it opens in May.
Mainline I-5 southbound lanes under the Broadway Avenue flyover exit ramp show the far right lane as the new US2 southbound auxiliary lane. Left lane shows new I-5 southbound HOV lane.
The US 2 / I-5 southbound auxiliary lane picks up the Broadway Avenue merging traffic just before Lowell Bridge. The new southbound HOV lane is on extreme left.
The new I-5 southbound HOV lane is to the left of the solid white stripe. You can also see the ground down pavement that crews will resurface as soon as warm, dry weather permits.
Northbound drivers in the auxiliary (right) lane must exit to Pacific Avenue or Eastbound US 2. Drivers who want to continue northbound on I-5 must merge left into mainline prior to reaching the Pacific Avenue exit ramp.