Governor Gregoire Announces Safety Improvements on US 2 in Snohomish County

For Immediate Release: October 8, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced a number of measures to improve driver safety along US 2 in Snohomish County, including the designation of the corridor as a �Safety Corridor.�

�The safety of drivers on our state highway system is my top transportation priority,� said Governor Gregoire. �I recently toured this stretch of US 2 to learn firsthand how dangerous it is; this is why I am pleased to partner with local residents and Snohomish County to implement these important safety measures.�

The US 2 corridor will be designated a �Safety Corridor� by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, which makes the area eligible for grants to provide targeted education, engineering and enforcement efforts in the corridor. The safety corridor also constitutes a partnership between local government and the state.

�We�ve had great success in other parts of the state when we�ve done these kinds of safety corridors,� said Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste. �We don�t go in alone. We partner with other state and local agencies, and everyone gets involved in reducing the number of collisions.�

�We have worked hard with the communities along the corridor to develop a longer range plan for safety improvements,� said Paula Hammond, Interim Secretary of Transportation. �We think the work we�ll do through the Safety Corridor project will significantly improve safety for US 2 drivers.�

Snohomish County has designated $1.5 million in local grant funding to be used for longer-wear striping on the highway. The new striping will be easier for drivers to see and help to further prevent cross-over accidents.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will use existing federal funds for wider rumble strips, recessed reflectors and shoulder rumble strips at various locations between Monroe and Skykomish; and the Washington State Patrol will prioritize resources, such as motorcycle troopers and the nighttime enforcement team, to assist with additional enforcement. The WSP detachments from Monroe will also perform targeted patrols in which troopers will focus on the violations known to cause the most serious collisions.

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