The growth and development that Bothell has experience in the recent past is encouraging for the city’s economic health. However, with development comes increased traffic volumes and congestion.

The intersection of Bothell-Everett Highway and 228th Street SE serves as a gateway between I-405 and our community. Over the past five years, the City has worked in collaboration with Snohomish County and the Washington State Department of Transportation to develop solutions to ease the congestion at this intersection. The solutions are costly as right of way around the intersection is already developed, leaving minimal property available for street widening.

The growth on 228th Street SE, particularly the eastbound left turn movement, presents a difficult challenge.

Residents who travel this corridor have expressed their concerns to City staff and to the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter. Possible solutions, including the addition or conversion of lanes to add a second left turn lane, have been suggested and thoroughly evaluated, with the results showing the immediately available and inexpensive options would be ineffective or unsafe.

The solution to this critical issue is a multi-faceted reconstruction of the intersection to address the eastbound left turn congestion, pedestrians’ crossing safety and collision reduction. The City recently secured a safety grant through the Federal Highway Administration to reconfigure the intersection to alleviate the backups, improve pedestrian safety and reduce collisions. The design and construction of the revisions are scheduled to occur within the next two years.

We appreciate our community’s patience and understand as we continue to mitigate traffic growth at this intersection. The City is optimistic that the improvements at this intersection will bring welcome relief to the current situation.

Erin J. Leonhart, Bothell Public Works Director