By April Delchamps
This summer, thousands of you stopped by our online open house to share your thoughts on packages of potential improvements to the US 2 trestle and the trestle connections on the west end (to I-5 and Everett) and on the east end (to SR 204, US 2 and Lake Stevens) as part of a Planning and Environmental Linkages study. You told us how you travel on or around the trestle (car, motorcycle, transit, commercial vehicle, etc.), how often you travel on the trestle and what your thoughts are on the different proposed alternatives.
We read every comment, and we’re excited to share what we heard. The Draft US 2 Trestle PEL Study will be released in late-December, so this is also your preview of what’s coming and how you can weigh in again.
What we heard
About 85% of the people who took our survey live east of the trestle. More than half, 58%, use the trestle every day. Your comments covered a lot of ground, but a few themes stood out.
- There is support for a continuous HOV and transit lane across the trestle.
- There are concerns about the curve on the ramp from westbound US 2 to southbound I-5 and support a flyover or underpass.
- There are concerns drivers can’t see far enough ahead where traffic from SR 204 and 20th Street Southeast merges onto westbound US 2.
- There is interest in a safe intersection at SR 204 and Sunnyside Boulevard Southeast.
- There are concerns about possible tolls and what they would cost families, lower-income drivers and others.
- There is interest in how the project will effect wetlands, streams, green spaces and wildlife habitat. There is also interest in understanding exhaust emissions from cars and trucks.
- There are concerns about how well the US 2 trestle can hold up to earthquakes and climate change.
Thank you to everyone who took our survey and shared your thoughts. We know your time is valuable. Your comments help us learn what matters most to people who live, work and travel here. We will keep studying your concerns as we move into the next step, called environmental review.
What’s next
Our Draft PEL Study report will be released in December. We’ll share the exact date soon. The report documents WSDOT’s big-picture planning work for the US 2 trestle and connections, and it gives the public and agencies a chance to review it before it’s finalized. The study will include:
- Our draft recommended alternative
- How we chose it
- The data behind our work
- What we heard from the public and how it shaped our choices
When we publish the draft study report, we will post another online open house to collect your feedback. Once the comment period closes, we will work with the Federal Highway Administration to publish the final report, planned for early spring. This final report will include a summary of your comments that will help inform what is analyzed and how during our next steps.
The finish line for the PEL Study is in sight, but this isn’t the end of the road. It’s really the beginning of a more in-depth environmental review. Thanks to the PEL Study, we’re not starting from scratch. We already have a clear purpose and need, plus a draft recommended alternative to carry forward. Next up, we’re preparing to bring on additional consultant support to help us move into environmental review and preliminary design. Stay tuned and be sure to check out the Draft PEL Study when it’s released in December.
Stay connected
To follow along with the study, consider signing up for the WSDOT Snohomish County Newsletter email updates. We also regularly update our study web page and document library.
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