Listening to what the numbers tell us – SR 9/SR 204 roundabout to be rechannelized

 We listen carefully to what our highways tell us.

Though the roads obviously can’t talk, we hear what they’re saying through reports from drivers and community partners who use the roads on a daily basis. We watch with a careful eye, noting how traffic behaves. And, perhaps most importantly, we dig into data to find out if changes we’ve made have the desired effect.

When the numbers show we can still make improvements, our traffic engineers dig in to figure out how. We don’t have an “our way or the highway” mentality – at WSDOT, our way IS ensuring the highway is operating safely and efficiently.

A great example of this will happen Saturday night, Aug. 22, in Lake Stevens.

In 2023, we opened two multi-lane roundabouts on SR 9 in Lake Stevens to help reduce serious injury and fatal crashes and improve traffic flow through the corridor.

In summer 2023, we built two multi-lane roundabouts along State Route 9 in the heart of the busy Frontier Village retail area. These roundabouts were part of a seven-year, $69 million effort working with the community to reduce the potential for serious injury and fatal crashes in the area, limit SR 9 congestion, provide better access to area businesses and improve travel through the area for people walking, biking, taking transit and driving.

Along with the SR 9 roundabouts at SR 204 and Vernon Road, the project added smaller roundabouts at Vernon Road’s intersections with North Davies Road and 91st Avenue Northeast, plus new sidewalks and bike paths.

Then we watched, listened and analyzed to see if the new roundabouts were working as intended.

Digging into the numbers

We’ve fielded concerns from people using the new roundabouts and remained in contact with Lake Stevens officials since the roundabout opened. But it usually takes about three years of post-construction data to see how well a new intersection is working.

Now that we nearly have three full years of data, we have a better picture of how they’ve been performing. Overall, the data showed that collision numbers have decreased since the roundabouts opened. After averaging 16.3 crashes per month the first year after major construction finished (July 2023 through June 2024), that number was down to about 12 collisions per month during the most recent full year since the roundabout opened (July 2025 through June 2026, though that number could change slightly as the most recent collision data is finalized).

While this trend is promising, our engineers developed ideas for further improvement at the roundabout by targeting the locations where crashes are occurring the most.

Chart shows location of crashes entering the SR 9/SR 204 roundabout from the east and the west from July 2023 through June 2026. Safety Disclaimer and Subject Figure: Under 23 U.S. Code § 148 and 23 U.S. Code § 407, safety data, reports, surveys, schedules, lists compiled or collected for the purpose of identifying, evaluating, or planning the safety enhancement of potential crash sites, hazardous roadway conditions, or railway-highway crossings are not subject to discovery or admitted into evidence in a Federal or State court proceeding or considered for other purposes in any action for damages arising from any occurrence at a location mentioned or addressed in such reports, surveys, schedules, lists, or data.

Finding areas for improvement

Looking closer at the numbers, our engineers found that about 86% of the crashes since July 2023 related to the two new roundabouts on SR 9 (419 of 490 crashes) happened at the SR 9/SR 204 intersection.

Drilling even deeper into the crash data at the SR 9/SR 204 roundabout, we found more than 50% of all the reported crashes happened on the SR 204 approach on the west side of the intersection and the Seventh Place Northeast approach to the east.

It is in those two areas where we will focus on making improvements.

WSDOT plans to make four lane striping modifications to the SR 9/SR 204 roundabout in Lake Stevens to help create simpler decisions for drivers.

The solution: Making it simpler

After identifying these collision trends, our traffic engineers set out to find solutions. Turns out, we think the easiest way to reduce crashes is to … well, make things easier.

We plan to make four striping modifications to the SR 9/SR 204 roundabout that we believe will create simpler decisions for drivers and, therefore, reduce chances for crashes. We plan to use lane markings to rechannelize parts of the roundabout by:

1. Removing one of the circulating lanes between the westbound Seventh Place Northeast and eastbound SR 204 approaches.
2. Removing one southbound SR 9 lane entering and exiting the roundabout.
3. Removing one westbound Seventh Place Northeast lane approaching the roundabout.
4. Making minor modifications to the striping on eastbound SR 204 lanes approaching the roundabout.

Not only will these changes create easier decisions for drivers, they also will reduce the number of potential conflict points between vehicles entering and circulating in the roundabout. It also right-sizes the intersection’s number of lanes to current traffic volumes, and it will calm eastbound, westbound and southbound traffic as it approaches the intersection.

Taking away a southbound lane on SR 9 could create more delays than drivers currently see. But we expect these changes will continue to reduce the number of collisions that occur at this busy intersection.

WSDOT will rechannel the SR 9/SR 204 roundabout in Lake Stevens Saturday night, Aug. 22, to reduce the number of places cars could come into conflict with each other and make decisions easier for drivers.

So, what’s next?

Unfortunately, the current pavement markings were not made in pencil, so making the adjustments will take a nighttime closure of the roundabout on Saturday night, Aug. 22. From 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, to 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, we will fully close the intersection so that we can remove the old pavement markings, install the new ones and make the SR 9/SR 204 roundabout easier to use. This work requires dry weather and may be rescheduled if rain is forecast.

During this closure, access will remain open to local businesses, but through traffic should detour using Market Place and Lundeen Parkway.

After the new pavement markings are installed, our traffic engineers will continue to monitor the intersection, making sure the changes we’ve made have the desired effect.

As our rechannelization efforts in Lake Stevens show, that’s not an empty promise – we listen to what our highways and the people who use them tell us.

Judkins Park Station Study: How Recent Crossing Improvements Have Lowered Speeds

The Judkins Park community in Seattle continues to grow. With the new Judkins Park Station now open, more people are walking, biking and taking transit. As the neighborhood grows, transportation improvements are leveling-up safety. We’re making it easier to travel on Rainier Avenue South at the Interstate 90 interchange.

The I‑90 ramps to Rainier Avenue South create busy intersections. That makes it challenging to walk, bike, roll or access transit. Cars move through these intersections quickly. Community members have shared concerns about vehicle speeds when crossing the ramps.

Data from the Judkins Park ramps shows that small changes can help reduce speeds. These changes improve safety for everyone traveling through the area. Here, you can see a raised crosswalk and crossing beacon installed by the Seattle Department of Transportation this year.

Our study focused on the safety, bicycle and pedestrian facilities at the ramp and Ranier Avenue South intersection, and access to transit. Our study identifies the recommends teeing-up the ramp intersections and eliminating one ramp. The ramp recommended to be removed is westbound I-90 to northbound Rainier Avenue South. These improvements are in the early stages of concept design. The next step in the process is a separate study to evaluate impacts to I-90. This study is subject to FHWA approval. Recently, we partnered with the Seattle DOT on an improvement project at this location. The project constructed the following quick-implementation improvements to three of the ramps:

• a raised crosswalk at the northbound Rainier to eastbound I-90 on-ramp. There was already a rectangular rapid flashing beacon here.
• a raised crosswalk and flashing beacon at the southbound Rainier to eastbound I-90 on-ramp
• a raised crosswalk and flashing beacon at the westbound I-90 to southbound Rainier off-ramp.

These improvements help slow the speed of vehicles traveling through the ramp intersections. We completed these improvements in March 2026. We also completed a before-and-after speed study to understand the effect of the improvements. We collected speed data for one-week periods before and after the changes. We used cameras installed at the crosswalks for this.

What the data shows

The study shows a small reduction in average speeds after the raised crosswalks and flashing beacons were installed. Even better, the results show a dramatic drop in the highest speeds recorded at each ramp.

Highlights include:

• Average speeds for vehicles at all three crosswalks are below 26mph. For reference, the speed limit on Rainier Avenue South is 25 mph.
• 85% of all vehicles traveled slower than 28 mph.
• The top speed at the crosswalk for the westbound I-90 off-ramp to southbound Rainier Avenue South dropped 45%, from 71 mph to 39 mph.
• The top speed at the crosswalk for the northbound Rainier Avenue South on-ramp to eastbound I-90 dropped 32%, from 68 mph to 46 mph.

The top speeds are the most challenging for people who bike, walk, roll or drive in the neighborhood. These changes in top speeds increase safety for all modes of travel.

Raised crosswalks have lowered vehicle speeds near the on- and off-ramps. Average speeds for vehicles at all three crosswalks are below 26 mph.

Why speed matters

Speed plays a key role in whether a crash results in serious injury or death. According to national safety research, you are more likely to survive a collision if vehicles are moving slower.

Small reductions in speed can have a big impact. By lowering both average speeds and the highest measured speeds, projects like this can enhance safety for everyone. Improvements like raised crosswalks make it safer for people walking, biking or rolling through the area.

Why these results matter

The joint SDOT/WSDOT project marks the first time that we have installed raised crosswalks on one of our roadways.

The results of the before-and-after study are consistent with what other agencies are seeing. Examples include a recent Hawaii DOT project and the Seattle DOT Speed humps. These combined results suggest that raised crosswalks can help calm and slow traffic. We’re helping communities take safety to the next level, even in areas like freeway ramps. These results will help us decide where to add raised crosswalks in the future.

Looking ahead

We are continuing to work on improving how people move through the area. With the Judkins Park light rail station now open, we are creating a multimodal transportation system. This means systems that work for everyone, whether they are walking, biking, taking transit or driving.

While there is more work ahead, these early improvements are a step forward. They show how targeted upgrades can make a big difference. Together, community input, data and smart design choices are helping unlock a safer, more connected Judkins Park area. These insights will continue to guide our decisions. We are working toward long-term improvements to safety, access and connectivity in the area.

We will continue to work with our partners to refine our recommended alternative. Read our fifth blog post about this project to learn more about the process. We’ll continue community engagement in the fall.

Study webpage: I-90 Judkins Park Station – Reconnecting Communities

Email updates: Sign up for Seattle area news and study updates.

Mobile App to replace I-90 text alerts to allow more efficient, user-friendly updates and information

Change may be as difficult as it is inevitable, but change can also be a good thing. In the fast-paced world of transportation, we know it’s important to keep you up to date in the most efficient, user-friendly way possible. Whether it’s weather changes, construction, or other travel information, we want to keep you informed.

That’s why a big shift is coming. On Aug. 31, 2026, the way we communicate I-90 travel alerts will transition to the WSDOT Mobile App.

But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We’re excited to announce the new communication method available at your fingertips. You can still get important I-90 travel notifications by downloading the WSDOT Mobile App. After installing, turn on push notifications for Snoqualmie Pass I-90.

Here's how to make the switch from text messages to notifications in the app for iPhone and Android.

For iPhone users:

• Download the WSDOT Mobile App from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Open the app and select the notification bell (in the top-left corner of the screen on iPhone).
• Here you will find the notification menu. From here, you can toggle notifications on and off.
• Select Snoqualmie Pass I-90.
• Turn on push notifications.

For Android users:

• Download the WSDOT Mobile App from Google Play.
• Open the app and select Notifications (on the left-hand menu selection).
• Here you will find the notification menu. From here, you can select notification alerts.
• Select Snoqualmie Pass I-90.

The Snoqualmie Pass I-90 notification still covers I-90 from North Bend to Vantage. That’s milepost 33 to 138, just like the text message service.

If incidents or activities will add 30 minutes or more to travel times or result in a closure, we’ll send you a notification. You’ll also receive advance notice of planned closures. That includes construction closures and winter avalanche-control work.

If you don’t want to turn on push notifications, you can still find Snoqualmie Pass I-90 alerts in the Mountain Pass section of the WSDOT Mobile App. This section shows current winter pass conditions and information about events that may cause delays along I-90.

Example of a Snoqualmie Pass I-90 notification and the maintenance and construction alerts available in the WSDOT iOS app

Example of a Snoqualmie Pass I-90 notification and the maintenance and construction alerts available in the WSDOT Android app

You can do even more with the WSDOT Mobile App. It's a one-stop shop for travel information. It includes real-time travel alerts, mountain pass conditions, traffic cameras and roadway conditions.

We encourage you to set up Snoqualmie Pass I-90 push notifications by Aug. 31. That’s when the current I-90 text messages alert service ends.

Whether you’re commuting over Snoqualmie Pass, visiting family or traveling across the state, the WSDOT Mobile App makes it easy to get the travel information you need when you need it.

Park (or ride) the bus: Visitors enjoy transit options during summer soccer extravaganza

“Parking the bus” is a strategy often used by soccer teams as they try to close out a victory in the later stages of a match. Meanwhile, riding the bus (or ferry, train or light rail) is a proven strategy for safe and affordable access to transportation and mobility.

The Seattle Stadium has now hosted its final match of the world’s most famous sporting event. There’s little doubt that Seattle lived up to its reputation as one of the greatest soccer cities in the nation. But the Emerald City also proved itself one of the nation’s best cities for public transportation.

We saw many thousands of visitors converged in western Washington for much of the past month. Many of those people chose from a wide array of public transportation options for getting around. Whether to the stadium or to local attractions, visitors had their choice of ferries, trains or buses.

Most public transportation agencies in the area added to their existing services to help with the large numbers of visitors. Now that the games are over, we’re working with our public transportation partners to check rider numbers, trends and patterns.

Here’s a look at some of the numbers:

• WSDOT’s Amtrak Cascades trains: between June 13 and July 7, Amtrak Cascades carried more than 85,000 passengers. That’s a 19% increase over the same period in 2025. The greatest increase was on routes between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. – two of the host cities. Those routes saw a 38% increase in riders from the previous year. Most of the daily roundtrip trains were sold out, particularly on game days.
• Sound Transit: Link light rail had a whopping 5.4 million boardings in June and shattered daily records on game days. Link even broke the Seahawks’ Super Bowl parade record of 220,000 riders – but they did so on every single match day. And with 309,000 board ings Monday, July 6, Link eclipsed all its daily records for highest ridership in Sound Transit’s history!
• Across six match days, the region tallied an estimated 3.4 million boardings on transit services in King County. The final match saw some of the biggest numbers of the tournament, with 620,000 boardings. Overall, Metro estimated 1.9 million boardings on its buses, boats, shuttles and streetcars. Sound Transit accounted for the balance with an estimated 1.5 million boardings on Link light rail and its 1 and 2 bus lines.
• Travel Washington Intercity Bus: Our Travel Washington Dungeness Line saw a 10% increase in ridership from June to May. This line runs between Port Angeles and Seattle via Washington State Ferries. There were also dramatic increases in web traffic on all Travel Washington websites.
• Washington State Ferries: WSF saw a boost in ridership. In particular, the first Team USA match Friday, June 19. This day had nearly 83,500 boardings – compared with just under 71,000 boardings on the same day in 2025.

Seattle has a sterling reputation as a home of soccer supporters, as well as a welcoming destination for traveling fans. For nearly a month this summer, that shared love was on full display for all the world to see.

And not to be outdone, our local transit agencies’ history as an elite-level network of transportation services was clear as well. Each public transportation provider in the region did extensive planning and predicting demand. We all stepped up to get everyone where they needed to go throughout the tournament and beyond.

Final result: soccer fans and the transit services they chose combine for a 2-0 victory.