WSDOT to discuss Paradise Lake Road intersection plans

The Washington State Department of Transportation will present proposed Paradise Lake Road interchange congestion relief designs at an open house 4:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the Maltby Community Club, 8711 206th St. S.E. in Snohomish.

Improvement of the interchange is one of two projects in the corridor that have been on hold since the early 2000s.

“An improved interchange, capable of handling more cars more efficiently, will increase traffic flow, decrease congestion, and improve travel times,” according to a WSDOT news release. “It will also decrease the risk of rear-end collisions during stop-and-go conditions, greatly improving driver safety.”

The agency’s budget for the 2017-19 biennium includes $750,000 for design, traffic analysis and community engagement. The Paradise Lake intersection replacement project has another $10 million in funding through the Connecting Washington transportation package, according to WSDOT, but those funds won’t be available until 2025.

“None of us were surprised because it was very bipartisan — we all made a push, we all want to see that funding done,” Washington Sen. Kirk Pearson said after the funds were allocated, crediting a unified message sent from the community for pushing through funds last year. “We do want to eventually get the lanes in, and get traffic moving and get rid of the bottle neck — that is what we would all love to see.”

Pearson believes many other entities, including the City of Monroe and Monroe School District, played a major role in securing support. Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas said around 50 local city governments, nonprofits, organizations, Snohomish County officials and businesses have let lawmakers know in the past two years they want to see the projects completed.

Corridor improvements began about 20 years ago. There were six projects included in the original package. The corridor has been described as one of the worst in the state, due to its rating as a “failing intersection” by WSDOT, and the Paradise Lake Road intersection as a “rural arterial with an urban level of traffic,” in the Snohomish County Comprehensive Plan.

There are still no funds set aside for widening or improving the one-lane stretch between Paradise Lake and the Snohomish River Bridge, where a bottleneck stalls traffic for miles during rush hour. The back ups make it difficult for emergency responders to get through, and is considered a safety issue.

The project is on hold until there is funding, but WSDOT has no estimates for when that might be.

A number of lower-cost alternatives to the original plans have been proposed in recent years. The various plans could shave 3-10 minutes off a driver’s daily commute.

Sen. Guy Palumbo is encouraging residents and commuters to attend the upcoming meeting. The county’s current infrastructure does not support the growing population, he said in a news release.

“While we have clearly turned the corner in terms of investments in our district, there is so much more to do.”

District 5 County Councilmember Sam Low is another official who intends to get things moving faster. He reports legislators are responding to the Monroe School District’s concerns about the number of students regularly 30-45 minutes late to class because their buses are stuck in traffic.