This section of Bothell Way NE is often heavily congested, with only two lanes for vehicle traffic, minimal shoulders and few sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit amenities. The City experiences a significant number of car crashes along his stretch of roadway and expects traffic congestion to increase 76% by 2035.
The City’s Bothell Way Widening project will increase capacity for people driving, walking, biking, and using transit between SR 522 and Canyon Park. The project is set to include the following improvements:
- Increases capacity of general-purpose lanes from two or three lanes to five lanes
- Increases travel speed, and reliability by considering intelligent transportation system improvements like traffic loops, message boards, and variable speed limit signs
- Completes gaps in bike lanes
- Completes missing sidewalks
- Improves access to bus stops and upgrades signals to give buses the green light ahead of other vehicles
- Improves sidewalks and adds protected bike lanes to make it easier to walk, bike, and use transit
- Provides safer conditions for drivers by separating vehicles from people biking and walking; and adding other amenities like street lighting and reflective lane markings and symbols