New traffic signals improve safety near schools
Published on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 by Beckye RandallRead More Schools
After months of delay and frustration, two new traffic signals near Shoultes Elementary and Cascade Elementary schools were activated earlier this month.
The new signal at the intersection of 136th Street NE and 51st Avenue NE in front of Shoultes Elementary School was turned on February 2. The next day another traffic signal was activated at the corner of 100th Street NE at 51st Street NE next to Cascade Elementary School.
"Our children should not have to walk to school in fear of their safety," Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said. "These improvements will help keep children out of harm's way."
Parents had expressed concerns about the extended timetable for the two projects, which were originally slated for completion before school started last fall. In a meeting with county project managers last December, citizens expressed worries about their children's safety as they walked through construction zones and homeowners shared frustration over disruption of property access and sight lines.
The traffic signals were undertaken by Snohomish County Public Works to improve conditions for pedestrians and students on 51st Avenue NE next to the two schools. Sidewalks, wheelchair ramps and crosswalks were added at all legs of the two intersections. Left turn lanes also have been redesigned to improve traffic flow.
For environmental protection, porous asphalt was installed in the middle of 51st Avenue NE, north of 136th Street. The porous asphalt will allow stormwater to drain through the surface of the road, removing pollutants as the water filters through the asphalt and soil. This "green building" practice eliminated the need for a detention pond and the cost of purchasing extra right-of-way at the intersection.
Funding for these improvements was provided through the Enhanced Community Infrastructure Development Initiative (ECIDI). The ECIDI program was approved by the County Council in 2006 to speed up the delivery of 46 projects to neighborhoods throughout the county.
The two intersections are in an area recently annexed by the city of Marysville and will be maintained by the city.
The new signal at the intersection of 136th Street NE and 51st Avenue NE in front of Shoultes Elementary School was turned on February 2. The next day another traffic signal was activated at the corner of 100th Street NE at 51st Street NE next to Cascade Elementary School.
"Our children should not have to walk to school in fear of their safety," Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said. "These improvements will help keep children out of harm's way."
Parents had expressed concerns about the extended timetable for the two projects, which were originally slated for completion before school started last fall. In a meeting with county project managers last December, citizens expressed worries about their children's safety as they walked through construction zones and homeowners shared frustration over disruption of property access and sight lines.
The traffic signals were undertaken by Snohomish County Public Works to improve conditions for pedestrians and students on 51st Avenue NE next to the two schools. Sidewalks, wheelchair ramps and crosswalks were added at all legs of the two intersections. Left turn lanes also have been redesigned to improve traffic flow.
For environmental protection, porous asphalt was installed in the middle of 51st Avenue NE, north of 136th Street. The porous asphalt will allow stormwater to drain through the surface of the road, removing pollutants as the water filters through the asphalt and soil. This "green building" practice eliminated the need for a detention pond and the cost of purchasing extra right-of-way at the intersection.
Funding for these improvements was provided through the Enhanced Community Infrastructure Development Initiative (ECIDI). The ECIDI program was approved by the County Council in 2006 to speed up the delivery of 46 projects to neighborhoods throughout the county.
The two intersections are in an area recently annexed by the city of Marysville and will be maintained by the city.
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