New bridge targeting daily chokepoint in Snohomish under construction

It’s one of the worst non-freeway chokepoints in our region — northbound State Route 9 (SR 9) getting into Snohomish. If you’ve ever tried it during the afternoon commute, you know the pain.

Work is finally underway to widen SR 9 and build a new Snohomish River Bridge, just to the west of historic downtown Snohomish. Hundreds of thousands of people have moved to that area over the last twenty years, and the highway just can’t handle the congestion.

Northbound 9 loses a lane at Marsh Road, just west of the airport, and next to all of the fun farms south of the town. The highway backs up every afternoon and can be unbearable on Fridays.

This project should change that.

“We’re going to build a new bridge just west of the current bridge, and widen State Route 9,” Washington Department of Transportation spokesperson Della Kostelnik Juarez said.  “We’re also going to put a bridge over an overflow area, and we’re going to repair and paint the old bridge.”

That means two lanes will continue northbound from Marsh Road, across the river, and up to the Snohomish exit to 2nd Street. That’s where traffic will merge back to one lane. The existing bridge will handle the northbound direction. The new bridge over the river will handle the southbound traffic. A new southbound lane will also be added from 2nd Street to Marsh Road.

Pile-driving for the new bridge is expected to start shortly, and Kostelnik Juarez said it’s going to have an impact on the community.

“It’s going to be loud,” she said. “Progress is painful sometimes, and we acknowledge that this is going to be uncomfortable for some people because pile driving is going to take place for probably several months into early spring.”

New Snohomish bridge to be finished in 2027

The widening will start next year. The new bridge should be finished in 2027. The old bridge will then be restored and repainted. The entire project should wrap up in 2028.

The project also includes new on and off ramps at 2nd Street. The ramp to southbound 9 is scary right now. Very limited room. And very little visibility.

“When I went out there to look at the area, it was my first time taking that on-ramp, I don’t mind telling you, my hairs went up a little bit on my arms,” Juarez said. “Both of the ramps are going to be redone. It’s going to be a lot safer, a lot easier for people.”

There should be a limited impact on SR 9 during construction. The new bridge is to the west of the existing one, and WSDOT’s Marcus Hamberg said they plan to keep the lanes open as much as possible.

“The goal is to establish a work zone, and it’s just going to shift traffic,” he said. “The two lanes in each direction will move a little bit over to establish that work zone, and then most of the widening work will happen behind barriers.”

A full schedule of lane and ramp closures is still being developed. You will be able to see all the preliminary work and hear the pile-driving as you head out to your favorite Snohomish County Christmas tree farm over the next couple of weeks.

The project price tag is listed at $142 million.

Chris Sullivan is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here. Follow KIRO Newsradio traffic on X.

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