Observations from day 1 without the I-90 express lanes
Jun 5, 2017, 10:45 AM
The I-90 express lanes between Mercer Island and Seattle were permanently closed Monday. (WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
Monday marked our first morning commute in a world without the I-90 express lanes over Lake Washington. KIRO Radio traffic reporter Chris Sullivan says drive times were up slightly, and traffic began backing up earlier.
Congestion began about 45 minutes earlier than normal, according to Sullivan. The backup extended from I-405 west through the Mercer Island lid.
Delays peaked around 10 minutes.
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There was one stall along that route during the morning that contributed to the mess.
The state closed the express lanes permanently to make way for Sound Transit’s Eastside light rail expansion. The transit agency will eventually build light rail across the lake.
New HOV lanes have replaced the express lanes. Drivers coming from the island no longer have single-occupancy access between Mercer Island and Seattle.
According to KIRO 7, a report released in April suggests travel times to and from Mercer Island on I-90 during light rail construction will end up being about the same.
“Long term, there will be very little change in the traffic we see today during construction, and when it’s all complete there will be a slight improvement,” said Rachelle Cunningham of Sound Transit.
However, drivers commuting alone to Seattle are expected to see travel times rise by two minutes, according to the report.
Sullivan says drivers will have to wait and see if the changes on I-90 really do make a difference.
