Editor,

Washington State Ferries, the City of Mukilteo and WSDOT are looking at a “Road Diet” concept for the new road alignment when the new ferry terminal is built in Mukilteo.

Basically, the concept being considered is to squeeze the two lanes coming off the ferry into a single lane before passing through the planned and new signalized intersection (where the toll booths are currently located) and continuing through the Highway 525/Fifth Street intersection. Currently, the two lanes exiting the ferry merge into a single lane just past the Fifth Street intersection where the speed limit increases from 25 to 35 mph.

Whidbey Island ferry commuters should be very wary of what’s currently being proposed and studied if for no other reason because of the obvious; once you exit the ferry, it’ll take you longer to get through Mukilteo’s waterfront area because of the metering through the two intersections.

Ferries and the Department of Transportation have nothing to lose because they only care about unloading the ferry in a timely manner, and between the ferry unload area and the first intersection, they can “hold” an entire boatload.

Mukilteo likes the idea because the current lane across the Highway 525 bridge will be transformed into a pedestrian and bike lane. And, Ferries and the Department of Transportation are promising Mukilteo more gaps in ferry traffic so the locals can get onto the Speedway.

The reality of this situation is it will also adversely impact the locals’ ability to get to and from the waterfront area and Old Town because removing this traffic lane will only accelerate the decreasing level of service (a standard set for individual ferry routes) and resultant traffic congestion and delay already being forecast for the Fifth Street intersection.

The traffic models being developed to sell the public on the idea were supposed to be presented at public meetings in Mukilteo and Clinton in November but had been delayed until February.

Now state Ferries wants to show them to the Mukilteo City Council before having the public meetings.

I believe it’s reasonable for ferry commuters to have the expectation that with a new $130 million ferry terminal being built in Mukilteo, the commute time shouldn’t be worse than it is today.

The Mukilteo City Council will be reviewing the latest traffic model information presented by the state during its  council meeting next month. It’s 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Mukilteo City Hall. The agenda item is titled “WSDOT SR 525 Pedestrian Access Grant Update (AB16-34).” That’s another story for another time.

Kevin Stolz

Mukilteo

Editor’s note: Stoltz is a former Mukilteo City Council member.