Date:  Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Contact: Meghan Soptich Pembroke, WSDOT Communications, 206-440-4704 (Seattle)
Amir Ahmadi, WSDOT Project Engineer, 425-225-8725 (Everett)

Drivers to see improved traffic flow on SR 522 and US 2 in Monroe

MONROE – Drivers headed to and through Monroe can look forward to smoother and quicker trips by summer 2012. In July, crews will begin work on a $33 million gas-tax-funded project to build a new ramp from eastbound SR 522 to eastbound US 2. WSDOT today awarded the project contract to Scarsella Brothers, Inc. of Kent.

“We’re seeing increasing congestion at the interchange, which affects drivers on SR 522 and US 2 and adds to the congestion in Monroe,” said Amir Ahmadi, WSDOT project engineer. “When the project is finished, drivers headed to eastbound US 2 won’t have to stop at a signal. That will save drivers time and significantly improve traffic flow near the interchange.”

Nearly 44,000 drivers travel through the SR 522/US 2 interchange each day. About 80 percent of drivers coming from SR 522 are headed to eastbound US 2. Currently, drivers must stop at a traffic signal before turning onto US 2, causing traffic backups during the afternoon commute and on busy weekends. Drivers often sit through several signal cycles, adding time to their trips. The new ramp will provide direct access from eastbound SR 522 to eastbound US 2 in Monroe, eliminating delays at the signal.

To further reduce backups and relieve congestion, crews will widen SR 522 to four lanes from the 179th Avenue SE overpass to the US 2 interchange. They also will add an eastbound lane on US 2 from the SR 522 interchange to Chain Lake Road and a westbound lane on US 2 from the SR 522 interchange to Cascade View Drive. On SR 522, crews will build a median with traffic barrier to separate opposing lanes of traffic and reduce the risk of head-on collisions.

Crews expect to begin construction on the direct ramp and new lanes in July, and will complete the project by summer 2012. Drivers can expect nighttime closures and lane shifts on SR 522 and US 2 during construction. For more information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr522/us2interchange.

More improvements slated for summer 2011

In 2011, crews will begin work on the second phase of improvements to SR 522 south of Monroe. The 2003 gas tax package provided funding for a $149.4 million project to widen SR 522 to four lanes between the Snohomish River and the 179th Avenue SE overpass in Monroe. Crews also will build five bridges for the new roadway, including a one-third-mile-long bridge across the Snohomish River, and build a median with traffic barrier to separate opposing lanes of traffic.

WSDOT engineers are currently designing the project, which will be advertised to contractors in December. For more information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr522/widen/snoriver_us2.

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