Another traffic topic: Getting to The Bridge from I-5

Out of the inbox, from Dolly, for discussion — any insight?

After reading and contributing to the Admiral Slowdown post (last week) – which generated wonderful debate amongst our West Seattlelites and make a blog fun – I wondered if you would introduce this to the WSB: Why on earth do people coming from I-5 north > West Seattle Bridge Exit have to yield to people coming from Columbian Way? There are 10 times (at the very least) more cars coming from the freeway than are coming from Columbian Way – esp. during evening rush hour – so why do the majority of cars yield to the minority?

One thing I thought of was *possibly* – the numbers of cars from I-5 would make it hard for Columbian Way mergers to merge. But that isn’t the case for Columbian Way drivers merging into WS Bridge traffic going onto northbound I-5 (in the morning commute).

I hate this. It’s hard for I-5 evening commute drivers to even see if there’s a stoppage on the bridge as we’re getting off due to the massive curve that makes visibility of the road ahead of you so difficult, and pair that with a yield at the bottom of a curve you can’t see until you’re on it. It seems (and is, IMO) very dangerous. Compared to the relatively straight drive the Columbia Way mergers have that can see the I-5 mergers – they’d be able to stop in a flash better than the I-5’ers. So why do the I-5ers have to yield?

I really don’t get this!

Jan October 29, 2007 (3:27 am)

people actually yield there? I go to and from Columbian Way fairly often, and I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone coming from I-5 actually yield for me…we just seem to merge eventually…they never slow down…

Kayleigh October 29, 2007 (6:16 am)

Maybe to get people to slow down and pay attention.

GenHillOne October 29, 2007 (6:39 am)

Since we’re talking merge here, has anyone else noticed this?…my new pet peeve is the increase of people who do what I call the Jetsons merge. When traffic is at a near stop, drivers pull parallel to the cars next to them, I guess thinking that their car will magically levitate and move horizontally (like the Jetsons’ space cars). It’s usually in the bus lane, blocking that lane and slowing the whole process down. C’mon people, when someone is leaving you a space, turn your darn steering wheel and get over. You can’t drift over at the same angle you would take when you’re going faster. I watch in amazement as the single car sits half way up the bridge with a bus barreling up behind it. It’s not hard to time a merge so that one is coming in when others are coming out AND when there aren’t any busses coming in the rear view mirror. When we get the space cars, I’ll take the contraption that cranks out the 5-course meal in 30 seconds.

JT October 29, 2007 (8:28 am)

Same experience here Jan. Been using Columbian way for years and I always have to wait to merge into the more aggressive I-5ers. I have never even seen a driver glance to the left. So thank-you Dolly for actually noticing that you have a yield sign. And I imagine the purpose has to do with there being several exit/onramps and intersections just prior to that merge that would become a nightmare if they got backed up more than they do.

Sage K October 29, 2007 (9:13 am)

I-5er’s actually yield? I use Columbian Way several times a week coming home from school and I have never yet seen someone coming from I-5 yield for me. I am always slowing down to yield for them. As long as we are talking about pet peeves, what is up with people not using their turn signals a) at all b) in a timely matter c)halfway through their turn? I’ve almost been run into several times on the freeway around the Mercer exit because another vehicle that was signaling decided to merge into the same lane that I was merging into. When I look to see if the way is clear I also look for people wanting to turn into the same lane. How hard is it to turn your signal on especially on the freeway. I mean they don’t cost extra, they aren’t an optional feature, and IT IS THE LAW, to use them and turn them on 100ft before the turn. *arrgh*

Sage K October 29, 2007 (9:14 am)

I mean wasn’t signaling

Sue October 29, 2007 (10:01 am)

Since moving here 3 years ago from NYC, I think I’ve learned that in Seattle a yield sign is merely a suggestion and can be ignored. (Kinda like red lights are often ignored if they’ve just turned red, it’s like it doesn’t yet count.) When I yield to cars (as I always do at a yield sign), it seems to confuse people that I’m yielding to, causing the non-yielding traffic to slow down or stop, and I almost get rear-ended because I dared to slow down for a yield sign when it’s not safe to go. It’s definitely a dangerous situation.

JumboJim October 29, 2007 (10:50 am)

One of the biggest problems is that many people don’t know the difference between Yield and Merge.

Doesn’t help that the state DOT puts Yield signs on freeway o-ramps and other places where a merge sign is really needed.

G. Williams October 29, 2007 (11:10 am)

I always glance to the left at that merge point, and so far have never had a vehicle so close that yielding was required. But part of the problem is that you can’t SEE if anyone’s coming down that way until you’re almost to the yield sign, because of where the ramp from Columbian is relative to the one from I-5. I could write an entire rant about places like this all over Seattle, where it’s impossible to see what you might have to yield to until it’s too late.

m October 29, 2007 (11:15 am)

Sage K, I agree with you. So many people do not use turn signals around here. I just want to pull up next to those people to tell them innocently ‘your turn signals are broken’ just to see their reaction.

Michael October 29, 2007 (1:32 pm)

Merge from right to left. Very simple traffic rule.
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(Yes, some of our freeway exits/entrances were placed incorrectly, back when we never expected even half of the traffic we have now, but those are what we call the exceptions that prove the rule.)
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Oh, and “merge” and “yield” do not mean the same thing. If they did, there would be no need to use both. :)

OP October 29, 2007 (1:50 pm)

Bingo! Michael nailed it! A simple traffic rule lost on far too many of Seattle’s hopelessly lousy drivers.

m October 29, 2007 (2:47 pm)

Sorry to get off topic, but at uncontrolled intersections, aren’t people supposed to yield to the right? I dont’ know how many times I’ve nearly been hit by people that don’t bother to slow down doing through cross streets in neighborhoods.

Jan October 29, 2007 (3:17 pm)

m…yes, at unmarked intersections, and at 4-way stops, you’re supposed to yield to the right…it sometimes gets forgotten…

SA October 29, 2007 (3:59 pm)

Frankly, I’d rather not put my trust in the other driver to know the rules/laws… better to yield and avoid an accident than to convince the police or your insurance company that the accident was the fault of the other person.

WhyYield October 29, 2007 (5:28 pm)

Thanks for addressing this…I work on cap hill and periodically take both I-5 and Columbian Way home, depending on the traffic. I-5-ers seldom yield and seem pretty damn agressive….maybe it is the transition from Interstate driving to W. Seattle driving, but it is still no excuse. Perhaps people who use Columbian Way are feeling more clam from the pastoral views of the Beacon Hill Hood….another thing…heading the other direction…is their a yeild sign as people merge from 35th to the W. Seattle Bridge…..I cannot even count the times these people just merge with east travelling cars w/o regard for who is behind, beside, or within a car’s length of them…whether or not there is a yeild sign, please LOOK before you just assume you can make the turn from 35th onto the west seattle bridge

CMP October 29, 2007 (5:57 pm)

Some of you should read up on the WA DOL website driving rules…it’s a good refresher. A Yield sign means to slow down and yield the right-of-way to traffic in the lane to which you are entering. There are also signs for “merging traffic”, “lane ends, merge left/right”, and “added lane” to guide you along. It’s really enlightening (hey, I had to retake the driver’s test at age 24 due to an error of a DMV employee and it really was educational eight years later.

As for the illogical Columbia/I-5 merge set up, email WADOT about it. You’ll probably get a ridiculous reply two months later about traffic patterns and criteria with no common sense factored in. Believe me, I’ve tried with Seattle DOT about the intersection at the Alaska Junction and it’s frustrating. If you complain enough and be insistent, they may just change it. Just look at the speed limit on Admiral being lowered to 30 mph! (however, that was totally uncalled for!).

Sue October 29, 2007 (10:37 pm)

I am always amazed when I come across totally unmarked intersections, and there are many near where I live. This isn’t some little podunk town in the middle of nowhere, it’s a city for gods sake – invest in a yield sign if nothing else. I treat all unmarked intersections as stop signs because I have seen so many people blow through them at full speed that I trust no one.

Dolly October 30, 2007 (11:01 am)

I’m amazed no one has ever seen anyone yield there, as I do every time I’m at that point. I’ve also seen quite a few other drivers yield. But, yes, I’ve see lots of drivers not yield.

But I’m not going to feel very sorry for the Columbian Way people as they rountinely cut me off when they are merging with the WS Bridge traffic getting onto I-5 north. So, we all need to work on the driving/merging,yielding issues.

My biggest issue is not having to yield – that’s fine. It’s just very difficult to see if there are any cars to yield to until it is too late. That’s why I think the Columbian Way drivers should yield as it’s easier for them to see cars merging. It’ dangerous, IMHO.

SA October 30, 2007 (11:46 am)

We’re talking about the exit from I-5 SOUTH (heading south on I-5) to the West Seattle Bridge, not I-5 NORTH… right? The exit from I-5 North empties into its own lane on the Spokane St overpass and a merge isn’t required. Assuming we’re talking about the I-5 South exit I’ve never had a problem seeing traffic coming from Columbian Way and thus have never had an issue timing my merge. OTOH, if someone comes barreling down Columbian Way when there is traffic backed up emptying from I-5 I can see that as a problem.

Sorry, comment time is over.