I-5 merge onto Spokane Street Viaduct

[KJB]

I am just wondering if others have notice how dangerous it can be to be coming from Beacon Hill and have drivers merge right into you when they are coming of southbound I-5. Tonight someone just merged right into me – luckily, when I swerved to not get hit there wasn’t anyone in the far left lane. Still shaking and I see this happen alot. Do you think there could be better signage to remind those drivers that the Beacon Hill cars have the right of way and that those getting off the freeway have to merge safely and they really do have alot of road ahead of them, they don’t need to do it right where the two lanes meet.

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[singularname]

Somewhat frequently take this route (both from Beacon and from I5), and I’ve never noticed in either case. So … I wonder if I’m an offender. I’ll check it out next time I drive it.

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[wssort]

They do that all day long KJB and yes you are correct there is plenty of road to merge but they still want to do it right then and there – I always merge into the left lane at this point so I don’t have to deal with the madness. Signage might help but there will still remain the inconsiderate and oblivious drivers.

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[JanS]

before the rebuild, traffic coming from I-5 to west bound Spokane Viaduct had a yield sign (which they ignored) and had to merge with traffic from Columbia Way right away. Now the I-5 traffic has it’s own lane for a while before they have to merge. Perhaps they are simply used to the old way, or perhaps they are generally just…um…uneducated (I hate using the word stupid, but..)in how the merge works.

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[KJB]

Thanks everyone – yes, I merge to the right asap also, last night the guy just plowed right before the merge spot and I am so thankful no one was in that far right lane or I would have been hurt for sure!

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[datamuse]

I think people haven’t gotten used to having more merge space. I know it (pleasantly) surprised me the first time I went that way after the rebuild; I don’t drive that way very often.

The thing is…yes, people should obey the yield sign. But the visibility coming into that merge from I-5 is terrible–depending on where a car coming from Columbia Way is when a car coming from I-5 enters the merge, the driver may not see the other car in part because the Jersey barriers are so high. My point being, I wish they’d done something about the sightlines there while they were at it. At least we’ve got the longer merge lane now.

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[KJB]

I agree, but during the evening commute especially, drivers don’t take advantage of the extra merge space, stop at the end of the ramp and expect to be let in or just wait it out – it is just ridiculous! They could save alot of time by using the extra space, but they don’t and everything gets backed up by their lack of merging knowledge. Perhaps the blog could remind people that the merge is a merge and that the merging space extends to the 1st ave exit.

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[datamuse]

In my experience (driving all over this country and several others, including one where I took out a road sign while getting used to driving on the left), nobody knows how to merge. Anywhere. Unfortunately.

The additional space at that particular point is nice, though. Once people figure out it’s there…

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[Wednesday]

The two lanes never merge, so it’s actually a lane change that must happen. Probably why there are no signs. Either way, regardless of who has the right-of-way, whether merging or changing lanes, it takes mutual cooperation and a little consideration for the other guy for these maneuvers to go smoothly.

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[Franci]

In my experience whenever there is a lane/ramp that is ending and requires folks to change lanes, the drivers in the lane that traffic is required to move into – tend to close any gaps in traffic to prevent cars from moving in front of them. I see it happen ALL the time when joining the bridge traffic from SB 99.

Wondering if that is *part* of the problem here. I avoid this exit whenever possible, simply because of the drivers on I-5 who wait till nearly the last minute to get into the lane that is becoming an exit. Its crazy sometimes, they pass you going at least 10 – 15 miles faster than the lane they want to move into and dive in just before the lane exists I-5. And they wonder why this lane is slower than the rest of the traffic on I-5 – well its all the braking than happens behind them to avoid rearending them and the other drivers who insist on this practice!!!

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[JanS]

zippers, folks, zippers….

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