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POSTED: Friday, Jun. 20, 2008

Dangerous intersections to see changes

Mount Baker Highway may get roundabouts

Traffic signals or roundabouts could be in store for two Mount Baker Highway intersections, but Nugents Corner business owners fear the plans could hamper access to their businesses.

The state Department of Transportation on Wednesday unveiled its initial ideas for fixing two dangerous intersections along the highway in 2010, spending up to $6.8 million.

Up to 11,000 vehicles a day use the highway near Nugents Corner. The stretch between Everson-Goshen Road and Nugents Corner had 136 crashes from 2002 to 2006, killing one person and injuring 85 others, according to the DOT. The intersections at East Smith Road and Nugents Corner (Highway 9/Lawrence Road) each had about 20 crashes.

“If there are improvements that we can make to cut down and eliminate accidents, that’s what we want to do,” DOT project engineer Janice Marlega said.

The state Legislature decided the money should be spent on improvements between Everson-Goshen Road and Nugents Corner.

The DOT is proposing either roundabouts or traffic signals for both intersections.

Mount Baker Highway and East Smith Road

A signal here would involve relocating the intersection to the southwest, realigning Smith Road so it comes into the intersection squarely. Allison Road would be diverted to the west to connect with Smith Road west of the highway.

If a roundabout were used, it would have five legs.

Bill Sears, who owns property at the northwest corner of the intersection, said he prefers the roundabout because he doesn’t like the idea of Allison Road encircling his property.

“It’s a bad corner and they need to do something,” he said. Drivers sometimes try to turn from the highway onto Smith at high speeds, and sometimes they don’t make it, taking out his mailbox, he said.

Mount Baker Highway and Highway 9/Lawrence Road

Both signal and roundabout options present problems because they could hamper access to nearby businesses, said Jay Drye, DOT engineering manager. With a signal, the DOT would also have to widen a bridge just north of the intersection, and it doesn’t have enough money to do that.

As far as access, both a signal and roundabout could make it hard or impossible for trucks to visit Dodson’s IGA Market, he said.

“The silver bullet isn’t jumping out right now,” he said.

Across the highway, Joe and Jodee Schmidt say both plans would cut vehicle traffic to their Xtreme Bean Espresso, hurting business.

“For my type of business, access is the only thing that matters, as far as road concerns,” Jodee Schmidt said.

Mount Baker Highway repaving

In an unrelated project, the DOT plans to repave more than 16 miles of the highway, from Britton Road to Coal Creek, south of Kendall. The estimated $5.2 million project, which is slated to occur in 2009, will also involve replacing signs, guardrails and raised pavement markers and refreshing lane lines.

Britton Road turn lane

In a second unrelated project, the DOT will install a leftturn lane for traffic heading west on the highway and turning on Britton Road. The project involves only slightly widening the roadway there, Drye said. That will occur this summer.