Observations from first week without I-90 express lanes
Jun 9, 2017, 1:28 PM | Updated: 2:14 pm
(WSDOT)
(WSDOT)
The first week of life without the I-90 express lanes is behind us.
The most noticeable change for the morning commute in the westbound lanes is that congestion starts about 45 minutes earlier. Westbound delays now begin around 6:45 a.m. They used to start around 7:30 a.m.
Backups now extend from I-405 all the way across Mercer Island to Lake Washington almost daily. Prior to the changes on I-90, it would take an accident to prompt that kind of congestion.
Delays were聽13-15 minutes at their peak along I-90 this week.聽Normally, they range five to 10 minutes.
Drivers also noticed聽several backups on I-405 approaching I-90 in each direction, which never used to happen without an accident.
The City of Mercer Island reports its residents are聽delayed about five minutes, on average, from Island Crest Way to Rainier.
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