79th Ave NE (Soper Hill RD to 34th PL) Traffic Safety Improvements

Over the past decade, citizen traffic safety concerns have consistently been expressed regarding 79th Ave NE between Soper Hill Road and 34th PL NE including concerns of intersection sight distance and speeding. Multiple actions have been performed over time to reduce the posted speed limit and provide for acceptable intersection sight distance for specific intersections through parking restrictions. Intersection sight distance concerns have however continued to be expressed by residents at additional public street intersections.

To provide for acceptable sight distance, improve side street and driveway access and improve traffic safety for all roadway users, Engineering Services-Traffic Division prepared three (3) alternatives for modification of 79th Ave NE from Soper Hill Road to 34th PL NE. Each alternative would improve intersection sight distance by maintaining the existing and expanding new parking restrictions upon 79th Ave NE. Two of the alternatives included channelization modifications on 79th Ave NE to add a center two-way left turn lane and provide for increased pedestrian mobility. 

Overview

79th Ave NE is a Collector Arterial that spans between Soper Hill RD and 44th ST NE. With a speed limit of 25 MPH from Soper Hill RD to 34th PL NE, and a speed limit of 35 MPH from 34th PL NE to 44th ST NE that serves approximately 1,000 vehicles a day. A majority of the houses on 79th Ave NE were constructed before 2006 when the City incorporated the area from Snohomish County. The sidewalks, shoulders, and street parking vary greatly between Soper Hill Road and 34th PL NE. As the area further develops, it is anticipated that 79th Ave NE will serve more vehicles per day, thus adequate intersection sight distance on 79th Ave NE will become increasingly important for traffic safety.

The current parking restrictions on 79th Ave NE were instituted to improve intersection sight distance for drivers entering 79th Ave NE from multiple home shared driveways and residential public roadways. The proposed safety project alternatives will improve traffic safety to decrease the risk of collisions involving all forms of transportation. Each alternative spans 2350 feet north of Soper Hill RD and restricts the parking on 79th Ave NE near shared driveways and intersections.

Following the balloting process, the City will implement the alternative that best suits the City’s goal of improving traffic safety and the neighborhood’s preferences.

Re-channelization Alternatives

1. Maintain Existing Lanes

Alternative maintains all existing parking restrictions and vehicle travel and parking lanes while adding new parking restrictions near 32nd ST NE, 28th PL NE, and Soper Hill RD.

The locations for new parking restrictions were determined by performing an engineering study at all residential roads and shared driveways on 79th Ave NE. 

Implementation will require approximately four (4) new sign installations and modification of some existing signs/locations. 

Alternative implementation could be completed within a month of the project determination at a nominal cost to the City. Alternative would be implemented by existing City staff.

You may view a diagram of this proposal below:

2. Two-Way Left Turn Lane

Alternative removes existing roadway channelization with re-channelization to add a center two-way left turn lane on 79th Ave NE and installs a pedestrian shoulder on the west side of 79th Ave NE between 33rd ST NE & 34th PL NE. Traffic safety for all roadway users will be improved by separating left turning vehicles into a dedicated center left turn lane which eliminating the need to wait behind left-turning vehicles, and providing a buffer between opposing drivers reducing head-on collisions, and by providing a pedestrian shoulder.

This alternative requires the removal of 2000 feet of existing roadway channelization, re-channelization of the roadway and ninety-two (92) square feet of asphalt paving. With this alternative, existing parking restriction signs will be evaluated and removed where channelization does not enable parking regardless of signs.

This alternative will require a moderate level of design and construction preparation which may delay implementation to late this summer or spring/summer of 2026. Alternative would be implemented by existing City staff or by low-bid contractor.

You may view a diagram of this proposal below:

3. Two-Way Left Turn Lane with Pedestrian Shoulder

Alternative provides complete pedestrian facilities between Soper Hill RD and 34th PL NE and adds a center two-way left turn lane on 79th Ave NE. Pedestrian facilities are not currently present from 34th PL NE to Soper Hill RD without walking in the lane of vehicle travel or crossing the street at least once.

The critical differences between alternative #2 and alternative #3 are the additions of walkable shoulders on 79th Ave NE between 31st ST NE & 29th PL NE, and 29th PL NE & Soper Hill RD. To accommodate for the shoulders, the width of the center turn lane is reduced or eliminated in select segments.

Providing completed pedestrian walking paths is crucial for maximizing the safety and accessibility for all roadway users. Developing multimodal roadways that serve all users is a primary goal of the City's Transportation Element.

This proposal requires the removal of 2400 feet of existing roadway channelization, re-channelization of the roadway and one-hundred sixty-two (162) square feet of asphalt paving. With this alternative, existing parking restriction signs will be evaluated and removed where channelization does not enable parking regardless of signs.

The walkable shoulders can be added without reducing driving lane width except between 29th PL NE & 31st ST NE, where the driving lane widths will be reduced from 11 feet to 10 feet.

This alternative will require a moderate level of design and construction preparation which may delay implementation to late this summer or spring/summer of 2026.  Alternative would be implemented by existing City staff or by low-bid contractor.

You may view a diagram of this proposal below:

Conclusion

Residents impacted by the traffic safety project on 79th Ave NE have been surveyed for their preferred construction alternative. The survey was sent to solicit input from all residents and property owner for parcels that access 79th Ave NE within 600 feet of alternative limits. Tallied results Indicated 61% of respondents preferred the Two-Way Left Turn Lane with Pedestrian Shoulder project proposal, and 87% of respondents had this alternative among their top-2 preferences.

The selected project will require a moderate level of design and construction preparation. Parking will be restricted upon 79th Ave NE in its entirety, drivers may park upon neighborhood roadways adjacent to 79th Ave NE. Construction requires the removal of 2400 feet of existing roadway channelization, re-channelization of the roadway and asphalt paving in two (2) locations totaling one-hundred sixty-two (162) square feet. All asphalt paving will take place exclusively within existing City Right-Of-Way (ROW).

Implementation is anticipated to take place mid-2026.

Questions can be directed to the City's Traffic Division: Associate Traffic Engineer, Danny Hagen at dhagen@marysvillewa.gov

FAQ

• Are All-Way stop-controlled (AWSC) intersections an acceptable traffic safety measure?

While AWSC does mitigate some need for sight distance, it is not an acceptable countermeasure for traffic speed control. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Section 2B.04  states “YIELD or STOP signs shall not be used for speed control” and  Section 2B.07 prescribes a procedure for determining if AWSC is warranted. There is not a significant enough quantity of collisions or sufficient traffic volumes upon the minor streets intersecting 79^th Ave NE to warrant the installation of AWSC. 

• Would a Speed Radar / Speed Feedback sign be an acceptable traffic safety measure?

A Speed Radar sign (also known as a Speed Feedback sign) is a traffic calming measure that the City implements where excessive speeds and documented collisions occur on arterials that do not have fully built-out ped & bike facilities. 79th Ave NE will be evaluated in the City's Speed Feedback Sign Prioritization program after the rechannelization project is completed.

• Would speed bumps be an acceptable traffic safety measure?

Speed bumps—or speed tables—are not an acceptable treatment for traffic safety upon an arterial roadway. Emergency medical and fire services require reliable arterial routes to reach any location in the City. Response times may be severely impacted by a traffic calming device in the traveled way. For this reason the regional standard is to restrict the installation of speed tables upon arterials.

• What is the Right-of-Way (ROW) and where is it?

The ROW is the land and built environment owned by the City of Marysville. ROW often extends between the back of one sidewalk to the back of the sidewalk on the other side of the road. However, it may also extend beyond this. To get an approximation of the extents of ROW you may view the Snohomish County Assessor GIS map. (Note that the Data is not an exclusive listing of all applicable property information and may be subject to amendment and modification without notice and not depicted herein. The Data is not intended to constitute advice nor is it to be used as a substitute for specific advice from a professional. You should not act (or refrain from acting) based upon information in the Data without independently verifying the information and, as necessary, obtaining professional advice regarding your particular facts and circumstances.)

Per Marysville Municipal Code (MMC) Title 22C, “Street trees and other landscaping shall be maintained and irrigated by the adjacent property owner, unless otherwise approved by the community development department.” As such, it is the responsibility of both the City and property owners to maintain the ROW as it pertains to landscaping within the ROW that’s adjacent to owned property.

• Will USPS mail service be impacted?

USPS cluster mailbox as well as mailbox groupings will still receive mail service as per usual during and after the project. However it is counter to city policy to have USPS mailboxes on City arterials. The City may work to relocate existing mailbox clusters, with potential future relocation to be upon side streets with USPS approval.

• What were the results of the Intersection Sight Distance evaluation at Soper Hill RD & 79^th Ave NE.

The intersection of Soper Hill RD & 79^th Ave NE has sight distance inhibited by vegetation located within the property of 2827 79^th Ave NE for vehicles stopped at the SB stop bar on 79^th Ave NE. Visibility is limited when stopped at the stop bar, however, after a full stop at the stop bar drivers may/should move forward until they are able to see enough of the intersecting roadways to safely enter any intersection per the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 46.61.190 “… Every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop sign shall stop … at a clearly marked stop line, … and after having stopped shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when such driver is moving across or within the intersection or junction of roadways.”  To encourage drivers to stop further south and then move forward for greater visibility, the existing stop bar for southbound 79^th Ave NE at Soper Hill Rd will be relocated several feet south.

• How will the parking restrictions upon 79^th Ave NE be enforced?

Any parking occurring in violation of posted signs or in violation of RCW 46.61.570 and can be reported to the Non-Emergency line at 425-407-3999 any time. By reporting concerns to this phone number Marysville Police Department can document and begin to enforce the regulations set forth by signage and RCW.