Between 2008-2021, WSDOT spent more than $60 million to improve safety and traffic flow on US 2 between Everett and the Stevens Pass summit.
A median barrier was placed on the highway from Bickford Avenue to near the SR 9 interchange in Snohomish to help prevent head on collisions. This $3.1 million project was completed in 2021.
From 2008-2010, WSDOT invested $10 million on improvements identified in the 2007 US 2 Route Development Plan (RDP). These improvements are:
- A new roundabout at Rice Road. The roundabout opened to traffic in June 2012.
- New two-way left turn lanes at 245th Street Southeast, the Sultan Park and Ride, and in east Gold Bar between 13th and 17th streets.
- Safety modifications at the Sultan-Startup intersection.
Completed low-cost, short-term improvement projects:
We used the remaining $50 million to complete the following work:
- Added a second southbound left-turn lane on Chain Lake Road, and eastbound and westbound right-turn only lanes at Chain Lake Road/SR 203.
- Added an eastbound left-turn lane and widened the shoulder at Sultan-Startup Road to reduce the potential for collisions.
- Modified signal timing on US 2 in Monroe, Sultan, and Gold Bar and connected the signals to our central system to improve operational efficiency.
- Installed new traffic cameras in Sultan and Monroe to monitor highway operations and traffic.
- Upgraded electronic message signs in Monroe, Sultan, and Skykomish.
- Added “right turn on red yields to U-turn” signs at key intersections in Monroe to improve safety.
- Modified the eastbound left-turn lane at Sultan-Basin Road to improve traffic flow.
- Added additional warning signs for curve near Fern Bluff Road.
- Improved striping at Fern Bluff Road intersection.
- Installed enhanced warning signs throughout the corridor.
- Removed vegetation to improve sight distance and added guideposts to improve visibility at the 245th Avenue Southeast and Fern Bluff Road intersections.
- Installed centerline and shoulder rumble strips in locations throughout corridor between Everett and Stevens Pass.
- Reviewed speed limits on the corridor; reduced speed limits in Gold Bar.
- Restriped US 2 at Old Cascade Highway in Skykomish to provide a westbound left-turn pocket.
- Reconstructed sidewalks at several locations in Monroe.
We also completed another significant project:
