Washington

[stevashe]

I notice that you really want to apply "Evergreen State xxx" to the original route of US-99. Is there any particular reason for that? Seems like a great name for the current route of I-5, border to border. After all, it is the only border-to-border freeway in WA. If any freeway is deserving of that name, it would be I-5.

Not really, it was just a way I thought of to make the name still be able to go border to border but add in my "Puget Sound Freeway" idea, and it kinda parallels what happens in CA, as I mentioned. Oh and I guess a (very) small portion of current SR 99 is already routed on Evergreen Way, didn't mention that because it's only for like a mile but it did help give me the idea. As for the tunnel, I was mostly joking, it was just the first time I had any inspiration for a name for it beyond something dull like "Downtown Tunnel".

By the way, I'm not opposed to calling all of I-5 "Evergreen State Freeway", I was just throwing out other ideas.

[stevashe]

The first DDI in Washington (at I-5 / SR 510 in Lacey) will open after this weekend's closure.

https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/2020/07/21/washingtons-first-diverging-diamond-interchange-open-marvin-road-and-i-5-lacey

Nice! I might have to stop by and check it out since I'll be going down to Olympia on Monday.

Edit: Reading the article, looks like the closure is actually NEXT weekend, darn it! I still think it would be worth stopping by though since it's almost finished.

I did go visit it and got some pictures, definitely looks like it's coming along, they even have some overhead signs up! (but covered for now) Pictures aren't the best quality but didn't really have time to get proper ones unfortunately.

Album link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/184498735@N04/albums/72157715302823788

They definitely have a lot of work to do. I went through there on Sunday, and they didn't even have more than a couple new traffic signals up. I'm guessing they will be using wire-strung temp signals. And that actual, final work will only be completed much later in the year.

It's possible they could still get the other signals up in time, I did spot at least one foundation for a signal on the opposite side of the freeway from where the new signal was already up (circled in picture below). To my knowledge, prepping/pouring the foundations and waiting for the concrete to cure takes a lot of time, but once that's done putting up the mast arms is pretty quick. It does looks like the also need to do final paving, I assume that might the work that is planned during the weekend closure.

[Bruce]

Apparently this is on US 2 at Eagle Falls:



Source is from a KING 5 report: https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/wsp-will-tow-cars-parked-illegally-on-highway-2/281-48290f98-d38c-4dae-828b-4dee7c1adc18

[Bickendan]

Mmm, the wrong shield and oversized number combo!

[jakeroot]

I mean, it always has been "highway 2". Even legally!

[stevashe]

Mmm, the wrong shield and oversized number combo!

That number may be large, but WSDOT's specs do actually call for larger numerals for single digit state highways compared to the two and three digit variants, and this appears to be the correct size for that. Here's an example on SR 3: https://goo.gl/maps/uEiN5fveaL2h9dXX7

However, the US Route shield specs do call for numerals 1 inch smaller than for state route single digits, so the number is larger in that sense, in addition to being series C instead of series D.

Also, that sign looks pretty new, and I don't see it in streetview of the area from last summer, so it must have been installed quite recently.

[KEK Inc.]

Yeah, I've been doing a lot of hikes during covid in that region and I get triggered seeing that sign driving back to Seattle.  I was going to snap a picture, but I keep forgetting. 

[TEG24601]

Even after making WSDOT aware, they still have the Green Guide Signs (can't really qualify as a BSG), for the ramps to NB SR 525 from Alderwood Mall Pkwy., are marked as SR 525 West.

[jakeroot]

WSDOT uploaded this picture of the Marvin Road DDI to their Flickr. Pretty cool shot

(XL image -- too big to post here)

[Bruce]

The Manning-Rye Covered Bridge, one of only two left in the state, was destroyed in this week's wildfires.

https://twitter.com/WAStateArchives/status/1303417311206846464

[kkt]

 

[Dougtone]

Come visit the Concrete Historic Byway, which is mostly an interesting and historic alignment of WA 20 in Concrete, Washington.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2020/10/concrete-historic-byway.html

[jakeroot]

Great write-up, Doug. When did you visit the area?

Cool to know about that Byway. Is it signed anywhere along WA-20 from what you could see?

I've only ever known Concrete because of the zig-zag markings on WA-20 approaching an unsignalized crosswalk (something that's fairly unusual), so this is a nice addition to my individual knowledge of the city .

[Dougtone]

Great write-up, Doug. When did you visit the area?

Cool to know about that Byway. Is it signed anywhere along WA-20 from what you could see?

I've only ever known Concrete because of the zig-zag markings on WA-20 approaching an unsignalized crosswalk (something that's fairly unusual), so this is a nice addition to my individual knowledge of the city .

I visited Concrete in late August while on vacation. I don't recall seeing anything posted about the byway from WA 20. The silo is seen off of WA 20, but I found the old concrete bridge while I was trying to find my way to Lake Shannon to get some photos of Mount Baker from the lake shore. Of course I had to get photos of the bridge, and as I was doing my research for the blog article, found out more about what to see around the town.

[jakeroot]

Great write-up, Doug. When did you visit the area?

Cool to know about that Byway. Is it signed anywhere along WA-20 from what you could see?

I've only ever known Concrete because of the zig-zag markings on WA-20 approaching an unsignalized crosswalk (something that's fairly unusual), so this is a nice addition to my individual knowledge of the city .

I visited Concrete in late August while on vacation. I don't recall seeing anything posted about the byway from WA 20. The silo is seen off of WA 20, but I found the old concrete bridge while I was trying to find my way to Lake Shannon to get some photos of Mount Baker from the lake shore. Of course I had to get photos of the bridge, and as I was doing my research for the blog article, found out more about what to see around the town.

It's nice to know this sleepy part of the country can still surprise. I've never been up there but I have a reason now. Thanks again for the write-up.

[Bruce]

I stopped by the byway recently while up in the area for work. The bridge is really nice but a bit scary, especially with the blind hook before the one-way section begins.

Also, there's a lot of zig-zag crosswalk markings popping up in Seattle as of late. At least 5 I know about in West Seattle.

[jakeroot]

Also, there's a lot of zig-zag crosswalk markings popping up in Seattle as of late. At least 5 I know about in West Seattle.

Can you think of any locations off the top of your head? I don't recall seeing any, but it's been a while since I've been to West Seattle

[Bruce]

Also, there's a lot of zig-zag crosswalk markings popping up in Seattle as of late. At least 5 I know about in West Seattle.

Can you think of any locations off the top of your head? I don't recall seeing any, but it's been a while since I've been to West Seattle

9th Ave SW has two at Trenton and Henderson, and then Henderson has its own in the area.

[jakeroot]

Some photos of the reconstruction of the Thorne Lane and Berkeley St interchanges in Lakewood (posted respectively). Posted to WSDOT's Flickr.

In the last image, traffic is still in the ditch beneath Berkeley St. Traffic has since been moved to ground level as WSDOT levels out the freeway.

[thefraze_1020]

I found another shield with the same mistake as this one under the Hewitt Ave Trestle. https://www.google.com/maps/@47.9783107,-122.162302,3a,36.1y,285.49h,90.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sC9aXYYHN4k8m43yRQnE5EA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Apparently this is on US 2 at Eagle Falls:



Source is from a KING 5 report: https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/wsp-will-tow-cars-parked-illegally-on-highway-2/281-48290f98-d38c-4dae-828b-4dee7c1adc18

[Bruce]

I found another shield with the same mistake as this one under the Hewitt Ave Trestle. https://www.google.com/maps/@47.9783107,-122.162302,3a,36.1y,285.49h,90.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sC9aXYYHN4k8m43yRQnE5EA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

Nice find. There's actually two on the frontage road under the trestle.

[compdude787]

Are those signs under the trestle relatively new? It seems like someone at WSDOT thinks US 2 is just a state route, not a US route.

[TEG24601]

Are those signs under the trestle relatively new? It seems like someone at WSDOT thinks US 2 is just a state route, not a US route.

Technically is is both... See the US 12 Overpass on I-5 being labeled as "SR-12" through most of the '00s, if not beyond.  More than likely the ordered some signs for SR-2, and the contractor took it literally.

[Bruce]

WSDOT has a virtual open house with some concepts for improving the SR 526 corridor in Everett: https://wsdot.wa.gov/news/2020/11/10/public-invited-attend-sr-526-virtual-open-house

Among them is a ramp meter on the EB 526 to NB I-5 ramp, which I think would be one of the first freeway-to-freeway ramp meters in the state. That would be an insanely busy one.

[jakeroot]

WSDOT has a virtual open house with some concepts for improving the SR 526 corridor in Everett: https://wsdot.wa.gov/news/2020/11/10/public-invited-attend-sr-526-virtual-open-house

Among them is a ramp meter on the EB 526 to NB I-5 ramp, which I think would be one of the first freeway-to-freeway ramp meters in the state. That would be an insanely busy one.

Thanks for the link.

There's quite a few freeway-to-freeway ramp meters in the south sound now. Northbound 167 to Northbound 405 in Renton; Westbound 512 to Southbound I-5 in Lakewood; Eastbound 518 to Southbound I-5 in Tukwila; Westbound 18 to Southbound I-5 in Federal Way (eventually...no signal heads yet but the mast arm is there).

In my experience, the one in Tukwila and the one in Lakewood are activated everyday as part of the regular rush. I'm not 100% sure the one in Renton is active yet, but everything is there for it to be activated last I checked.

The Tukwila example was easily the first, installed around 2000. And yeah, it gets crazy when you combine traffic avoiding I-5 southbound out of Seattle (using 99 to 518) and airport traffic. The one from 512 can also get pretty crazy, with traffic easily backing up past Steele towards Pac Ave on westbound 512 during particularly busy days and holidays.