Everett to Marysville HOV lane opens to mixed reviews

EVERETT — A new carpool lane opened Aug. 14 on northbound I-5 from milepost 195 at Marine View Drive to the Highway 529 bridge. Some motorists frustrated by the revisions between Everett and Marysville have taken to social media to voice their concerns.

The object of their frustration: a component of a $123 million Washington State Department of Transportation project to address increased congestion in the 4-mile stretch of I-5, plagued by heavy commuter traffic.

Department of Transportation spokesperson Tom Pearce said extending the HOV lane is intended to smooth traffic from cars merging onto the freeway at the milepost 194 on-ramp from U.S. 2 and Everett Avenue. Previously, those entering the freeway to go north on I-5 had just a quarter mile to merge before the exit-only right lane ended.

After months of intermittent lane and exit closures, the formerly exit-only lane to Marine View Drive is now a through lane, and the new carpool lane is designed to create more room to merge and increase the flow of traffic.

Not everybody is happy with the changes.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/everett-to-marysville-hov-lane-opens-to-mixed-reviews/

https://wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects/i-5-nb-marine-view-drive-sr-529-corridor-and-interchange-improvements