For those who use this route - PLEASE utilize both lanes of the on-ramp until you are forced to merge. It is TWO LANES and both lanes should be full during rush hour.
The biggest offenders are the busses, but I give them some slack because everyone tries to cut in front of them if they don't.
My pet peeve are the ones who pull through the intersection in the left lane, then come to a complete stop while they wait for someone to let them in, blocking all the traffic behind them.
It's not actually marked as two lanes, not sure if you've noticed that.
It is marked as two lanes by the big green sign directly above the roadway. There is also a dividing stripe painted through the intersection, directing approaching traffic into two lanes. Then there is a sign further up the ramp that says "left lane ends". If it were only one lane, wouldn't it have to say "ramp ends"? True, the dividing stripe on the ramp has worn away, but a competent driver would deduce from these other signs that it is indeed two lanes.
Furthermore, state law says that any roadway wide enough to accommodate more than one lane of traffic IS multi-lane, unless it is marked otherwise. A dividing stripe is not required.
KBear is correct.
As long as we're on the subject - people should use the full merging portion as you enter 99S as well. It "feels" like you should merge in right away, but they made it that long for a reason - the busses are good at using it all, so should the cars.
I'm sure my commute will be much better now that I have ranted!
redblack
Member Profile
smitty and kbear are spot on.
however, in a separate but unrelated rant, please do not turn right from the second lane on southbound 2nd avenue onto westbound columbia, or i will run you straight into the curb as you attempt to go around me illegally.
i.e. turning from southbound 2nd ave to westbound columbia is permitted only from the right (curb) lane.
if you don't/can't merge into the right (curb) lane on southbound 2nd ave after the light at 2nd and madison, that's not my fault. go around the block and enter columbia/99 from northbound 1st ave. there's a dedicated turn lane there - with an arrow.
thank you.
Note that SDOT answered a news-section comment-thread query about the lane striping by saying it will be fixed tonight (Friday). - TR
redblack nailed it.
I can't stand it when people do that!
Ugh - commuting............I would try the bus, but my job pays for my (expensive!) parking, and I feel stupid giving that up - even though they pay for the bus too the net/net is not even close.
Can the DOT (not sure if it's Seattle or WA State) paint some stripes on the westbound portion of the Spokane Street Viaduct in the 25 mph section? I think the lines were removed during the snow storm and I've seen cars just drive right down the middle. It's narrow but no need to take up both lanes.
I know the line was there/the lane is big enough accomodate two vehicles (common sense), as do you, it's the dumb people that don't. Or possibly those who think the vehicle next to them will hit them. Or aren't thinking about the other driver's around them.
There is the same problem at the Mercer onramp to southbound I-5. There are 2 lanes but people queue up into only 1 (right lane). Wish the city/state would put a sign up that says "Use both lanes" since the queuing in one lane just makes the backup worse. Just zipper merge at the end of the two lanes and all will be well.
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