Motorist boos banners hung on overpasses
Bill Bushnell of Woodinville writes, "Why do two people have the right to make thousands of people late for work by hanging signs on freeway overpasses?"
On Aug. 11, he said, the pedestrian overpass south of Northeast 70th on Interstate 405 had two big political banners, which slowed traffic, caused a backup for miles and added more tension to the lives of people trying to get to work on time on an already overloaded freeway.
"I believe in free speech, but not when it impedes traffic and causes others to be late for work. I don't believe they have the right to adversely affect the lives of other people who have no other choice but to use the public freeways," said Bushnell.
Stan Suchan, with the Washington State Department of Transportation, said the department is concerned about banners and signs and their impact on traffic safety and congestion. On Aug. 11, DOT crews removed the banners hung over I-405 that Bushnell complained about.
"While we respect the right of free speech, banners and signs can distract drivers. WSDOT removes them when they are a safety hazard or cause congestion and are on WSDOT right of way," said Suchan. "When signs or banners create a hazard, we remove them regardless of content, whether they advertise the world's best burger or someone's political point of view."
He said the DOT isn't authorized to make arrests or issue citations, and the State Patrol is called if law enforcement is needed.
Political banners can't be affixed to Seattle overpasses, but people can stand on them and hold the banners.
We told you last week about the law that bicyclists must stop at all stop signs, just like cars. It became a painful reminder for Brad Degrazia, of Seattle, who was cited last Sunday. He and another cyclist were hit with $136 tickets for failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign along Lake Washington Boulevard.
Degrazia said the police officer cited the newspaper article as the reason he was writing the citation.
Degrazia said "cyclists view rolling through four-way stops the same way motorists view doing five miles over on the highway. Both are breaking the letter of the law, but neither is judged by the driver as being reckless or negligent.
"If any Seattle motorist wants to know what it really feels like to nearly get into an accident, try riding a bike in Seattle and experience the kind of respect most motorists offer when passing," he said. "We do appreciate if you yield at least half of the lane to us. Honking and yelling is not necessary.
"As far as cyclists coming to complete stops at intersections, don't hold your breath."
Traffic tie-ups on North 45th Street through Wallingford prompted Megan Torphy to write with a suggestion.
"I used to love going into Wallingford to shop/eat out/etc., but find myself staying as far away from 45th as possible due to the horrible backups I experience whenever I try to head east between Stone Way and Interstate 5. It seems to me that 45th has turned into one giant congested onramp heading to southbound I-5."
Torphy suggests closing the 45th Street onramp to southbound I-5, "which would help alleviate the massive choke point at the Ship Canal Bridge. Too many onramps in too short of a distance is a recipe for massive slowdowns."
She said vehicles could still access the southbound freeway at the 50th Street and Ravenna Boulevard on-ramps.
"By eliminating that southbound I-5 onramp, you could return Wallingford to the pedestrian-friendly area it could be. This would surely help the businesses there and might help future investment in the area."
To ease traffic on the 50th Street onramp to I-5, she said, parking should be prohibited on that street between Stone Way and I-5.
"There are so few cars parked there, that to keep the curb lanes dedicated to parking (except during rush hours), seems like a huge waste and really does create dangerous traffic conditions," said Torphy.
She added, "I would definitely leave the 45th offramp from northbound I-5 alone, so vehicles could still exit to 45th or 50th streets from the interstate."
Bumper crop
The state Department of Transportation's Web site has been named one of the top traveler-information sites in the nation. WSDOT was named one of the top four sites by the Transportation Department's Federal Highway Administration: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traveler.htm.
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