Street Smarts

Street Smarts reporter Ben Watanabe steps into the new Zip Alderwood Shuttle on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Zip trip made Alderwood travel convenient, quick

Instead of figuring out a bus route and schedule, Zip lets riders go door-to-door in the Lynnwood entertainment hub.

Street Smarts reporter Ben Watanabe steps into the new Zip Alderwood Shuttle on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Construction continues for the Orange Line at McCollum Park and Ride on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Eye-catching work at McCollum Park is for Swift Orange buses

Readers wondered about the park and ride near Everett after seeing parking spaces broken up and trees cut down.

Construction continues for the Orange Line at McCollum Park and Ride on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Dan Bates / The Herald
Mid-afternoon traffic on northbound Interstate 5, Monday, just north of the Boeing Freeway (526) offramp provides a wicked brew of corporate, public and personal vehicles for homebound Boeing commuters to merge with, following a shift change at the Everett 747 plant.

I-5 lane reductions through Everett set for weekends this month

Crews are set to replace dozens of decades-old concrete panels between Highway 526 and Everett Avenue.

Dan Bates / The Herald
Mid-afternoon traffic on northbound Interstate 5, Monday, just north of the Boeing Freeway (526) offramp provides a wicked brew of corporate, public and personal vehicles for homebound Boeing commuters to merge with, following a shift change at the Everett 747 plant.
Vehicles exiting I-5 southbound begin to turn left into the eastbound lanes of 164th Street Southwest on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Traffic backups on 164th Street near I-5 could see relief soon

The county and state are implementing a new traffic signal system that synchronizes the corridor and adjusts to demand.

Vehicles exiting I-5 southbound begin to turn left into the eastbound lanes of 164th Street Southwest on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
A semi truck blows smoke out of its exhaust pipes while driving southbound on I-5 on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Reader: Did a tractor-trailer cover my car in diesel soot?

Probably not, according to a Department of Ecology spokesperson, since diesel emissions are getting “cleaner.”

A semi truck blows smoke out of its exhaust pipes while driving southbound on I-5 on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
News logo for use with stories about Mill Creek in Snohomish County, WA.

Yellow arrow left turns scrapped at Dumas Road in Mill Creek

Collision data showed drivers weren’t yielding to oncoming traffic, so the state changed the highway intersection signal.

News logo for use with stories about Mill Creek in Snohomish County, WA.
Traffic heads north and south along Highway 99 between 168th Street SW and Airplane Road on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

State seeks safety ideas on Highway 99 between Everett, Lynnwood

Bike lanes, complete sidewalks and lower speeds are some ideas for the 3½-mile stretch between the cities.

Traffic heads north and south along Highway 99 between 168th Street SW and Airplane Road on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Doug Wennerberg boards the ParaTranist bus on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Week Without Driving challenges officials to learn transportation gaps

People with disabilities are asking city and county leaders to rely on their bodies, rides and transit for seven days.

Doug Wennerberg boards the ParaTranist bus on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crews painted lane and median stripes this summer on a stretch of Highway 99 between Everett and Lynnwood, but in some places the median was the wrong color, like the yellow seen here. Eventually it was repainted the correct white. (Erik Robins)

Wrong median paint color had to be redone on Highway 99

An old yellow was used in some spots between Everett and Lynnwood until the standard white paint was applied.

Crews painted lane and median stripes this summer on a stretch of Highway 99 between Everett and Lynnwood, but in some places the median was the wrong color, like the yellow seen here. Eventually it was repainted the correct white. (Erik Robins)
A car drives along Dakota Way on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Everett man asks city to curb fast, loud cars on 25 mph road

Luis Burbano wants infrastructure changes to reduce the frequency of window-rattling engines that rumble by his home.

A car drives along Dakota Way on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Community Transit's Lynnwood microtransit pilot project is set to launch this fall with a service area around the Alderwood mall. (Community Transit)

Lynnwood’s microtransit test begins this fall, others possible

Community Transit could launch other on-demand services in Arlington, Darrington and Lake Stevens.

Community Transit's Lynnwood microtransit pilot project is set to launch this fall with a service area around the Alderwood mall. (Community Transit)
A view of the proposed alternative station location to Everett Station located east of the current BNSF rail tracks in downtown. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Could light rail station under Pacific Avenue and over railroad work?

A group representing people around Everett Station wants Sound Transit to study the idea.

A view of the proposed alternative station location to Everett Station located east of the current BNSF rail tracks in downtown. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
A cyclist crosses Madison Street along the Interurban Trail Thursday, April 14, 2022, in Everett, Washington. The City of Everett is considering adding bike lanes to Madison Street to connect the Interurban Trail to other bike routes in the area. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Survey: Support for Madison Street bike lanes, worry over parking

Everett staff are conducting a traffic study and developing alternatives as part of the road’s scheduled road work.

A cyclist crosses Madison Street along the Interurban Trail Thursday, April 14, 2022, in Everett, Washington. The City of Everett is considering adding bike lanes to Madison Street to connect the Interurban Trail to other bike routes in the area. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Many cities and Snohomish County have rules where semi-trucks and RVs can be parked. (Lizz Giordano / The Herald)

Sorry, you can’t park with us (in some areas of Snohomish County)

Readers recently have wondered about parking rules and recourse in unincorporated areas of Snohomish County.

Many cities and Snohomish County have rules where semi-trucks and RVs can be parked. (Lizz Giordano / The Herald)
Officials gather outside two of Everett’s electric buses to discuss the new BattGenie system on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Everett Transit bus yard in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Old batteries get new life as Everett Transit backup energy

Company BattGenie set up a container with dozens of used electric bus batteries that charge during non-peak times.

Officials gather outside two of Everett’s electric buses to discuss the new BattGenie system on Monday, June 27, 2022, at the Everett Transit bus yard in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Staff are evaluating two more light rail alternatives for the Everett Link extension. One would follow Interstate 5 north of 128th Street SW to the Everett Mall and back to the freeway. Another would go west of 128th Street SW to Highway 99 and north to Casino Road. (Sound Transit)

Everett light rail study adds I-5, Evergreen Way options

Both options negate the spur along Airport Road to the Boeing and Paine Field area long supported by county leaders.

Staff are evaluating two more light rail alternatives for the Everett Link extension. One would follow Interstate 5 north of 128th Street SW to the Everett Mall and back to the freeway. Another would go west of 128th Street SW to Highway 99 and north to Casino Road. (Sound Transit)
Drivers navigate through traffic at the intersection of Highway 9 and SR-204 on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Lots of Lake Stevens road work ahead on highways 9, 204

The state is building four roundabouts near Frontier Village to help manage traffic and improve pedestrian access.

Drivers navigate through traffic at the intersection of Highway 9 and SR-204 on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Leafline Trails Coalition's vision for over 900 miles of trails would improve connections across King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. (Leafline Trails Coalition)

Group envisions robust links for Centennial Trail

Leafline Trail Coalition’s map has over 900 miles through King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

Leafline Trails Coalition's vision for over 900 miles of trails would improve connections across King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. (Leafline Trails Coalition)
A vehicle turns left, westbound on 35th Ave SE from Seattle Hill Rd in Mill Creek, Washington on June 2, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Crash history limits left turns at Mill Creek traffic signal

Drivers on 35th Avenue SE hoping to turn left onto Seattle Hill Road have different phasing if they’re going east or west.

A vehicle turns left, westbound on 35th Ave SE from Seattle Hill Rd in Mill Creek, Washington on June 2, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Rep. Rick Larsen shares a laugh during a bike tour of the Interurban Trail through Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds, Washington on May 23, 2022.  (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

‘Is this the Interurban?’ Trail advocates seek federal money

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen toured parts of the Interurban Trail in Mountlake Terrace, where it seemingly vanishes and joins a road.

Rep. Rick Larsen shares a laugh during a bike tour of the Interurban Trail through Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds, Washington on May 23, 2022.  (Kevin Clark / The Herald)