Buses will Bypass Heavy Traffic on SB I-5

Beginning this week, Community Transit and Sound Transit buses will use transit-only ramps to bypass heavy traffic on southbound I-5.

Buses will use the ramps at the Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station (MLTFS) and at Northgate to bypass traffic when there is major congestion. Buses will only use the ramps when traffic in the HOV lane is moving significantly below posted speeds and the driver believes the bus can gain a travel time advantage over staying in the HOV lane.

Each of these bypasses is about two-thirds of a mile long, so if both are used, that is nearly 1.5 miles of traffic the buses will be able to avoid on the southbound commute.

The goal is to help keep buses on schedule, which is especially difficult on the southbound morning commute.

At Mountlake Terrace, this means that not every bus that comes through the freeway station will stop for customers. Signs are being posted to notify waiting riders that not all buses will stop.

In the near future, southbound buses will also use the HOV ramp at the Lynnwood Transit Center to bypass heavy traffic. Community Transit is working with the Washington State Department of Transportation on new signage that will allow transit to go straight on those ramps, after stopping, of course.