SR 530 - 59th Ave NE and 211th Place NE intersection improvements

SR 530 is one of the gateways to Arlington, Darrington, Oso and the North Cascades. It runs through small towns and rural areas. The highway immediately east of I-5 and just west of Arlington runs parallel to the Stillaguamish River. Attractions include plant nurseries and U-pick berry farms.

Many highway users turn on and off the highway at 59th Avenue Northeast and 211th Place Northeast where the posted highway speed is 55 mph. These turns have resulted in collisions and injuries. From Jan. 1, 2017 through Dec. 31, 2021 there were a total of 29 collisions at the two intersections combined. Fourteen of them were collisions in which people suffered injuries. Most of them occurred when vehicles were T-boned or rear-ended.

Installing compact roundabouts within the current highway footprint will allow travelers to safely make turns onto and off SR 530. 

Roundabouts

Roundabouts are designed for speeds of 25 mph or less. Since the speed is significantly reduced in a roundabout, collisions that may occur are less likely to result in an injury. Multiple studies have shown roundabouts have fewer fatal and serious injury collisions than traditional signalized intersections. They can also increase traffic capacity by 30% to 50% compared to traditional intersections.