The WSDOT’s Years of Pain” on I-5 Begins

A previous post detailed the “Years of Pain” resulting from WSDOT plans for resurfacing the Ship Canal Bridge that closed the southbound I-5 HOV lanes. That the “Pain” could be mitigated if Community Transit (CT) and King County Metro (KCM) re-implemented previous routes on I-5 with increased frequency if needed during time spent resurfacing the bridge.

 It didn’t take long tor the “Pain”.to begin.   The WSDOT July 29th 8:15 am travel time for the 26.72 miles from Everett to Seattle increased from 76 minute average to 91 minutes. That travel time for the 15.22 miles from Lynnwood to Seattle increased from 55-minute average to 82 minutes.

 

However, for years, the WSDOT’s concern has been more about increasing revenue than reducing travel time.  For example the July 29th 8:15 am. travel time for the 26,86-mile Everett to Bellevue average and  current time was 63 minutes.  The 16.73 miles from Lynnwood to Bellevue took 75 minutes. Those able to carpool or pay HOT fees to use HOV lanes, did so in 46 minutes.  The 9.68-mile Bothell-to-Bellevue section taking 29 minutes was reduced to 15 minutes on HOV lanes.

 

The south end average travel times for 21.85-miles from Federal Way to Seattle was 77 minutes, those using HOV at the time, 47 minutes.  The 24.12 miles from Federal Way to Bellevue 83 minute average took 52 minutes on HOV lanes.  The 10.92 mile Renton to Bellevue portion average 51 minutes was reduced to 27 minutes for HOV lanes.  

 

Again, the previous posts opined travel times could be reduced if more commuters had access to public transit yet neither CT or KCM had provided more routes.  A recent midday return with my wife from Lynnwood through Bothell to the Eastgate area benefited from being able to use one of the two HOT I-405 lanes from Bothell.  Yet no public transit buses were noticed in either direction.  

 

The bottom line is the area’s congestion continues with the WSDOT insisting on HOT fees on 2 lanes instead of one, CT and KCM not increasing transit routes, and Sound Transit using light rail trains to replace bus routes into Seattle.  

 

The resulting “pain” has just begun.