SDOT warns to stay clear of messy Mercer/Dexter intersection
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SEATTLE -- Over the weekend, the Seattle Department of Transportation got out their paint brushes and painted a big white box with X's in the middle of Mercer and Dexter, letting drivers know they must keep the busy, five-way intersection clear all times.
Otherwise, they could face a ticket.
Although on this weekend, officers were giving warnings than fines.
"Because it's so new here and confusing for some, that's why I issued a warning," one officer said.
It's all part of getting used to the tweaks that happen.
"Almost every day to improve the performance and this was another recommendation we decided to implement," said Rick Sheridan with SDOT.
The intersection is a major choke point for commuters getting to I-5 and routinely ends up in gridlock. SDOT says it's unclear how long these tweaks will stay in place.
SDOT is hiring off-duty police officers during the morning and evening commutes for traffic control and to educate impatient commuters about this and other Mercer Mess changes.
"These changes have been built into the budget itself," Sheridan said. "We've anticipated we would need off duty police officers supporting the project."
Eventually, the lead into this intersection will be an expanded six lane Mercer Street. There will also be a new left turn lane from Dexter on to Mercer.
Otherwise, they could face a ticket.
Although on this weekend, officers were giving warnings than fines.
"Because it's so new here and confusing for some, that's why I issued a warning," one officer said.
It's all part of getting used to the tweaks that happen.
"Almost every day to improve the performance and this was another recommendation we decided to implement," said Rick Sheridan with SDOT.
The intersection is a major choke point for commuters getting to I-5 and routinely ends up in gridlock. SDOT says it's unclear how long these tweaks will stay in place.
SDOT is hiring off-duty police officers during the morning and evening commutes for traffic control and to educate impatient commuters about this and other Mercer Mess changes.
"These changes have been built into the budget itself," Sheridan said. "We've anticipated we would need off duty police officers supporting the project."
Eventually, the lead into this intersection will be an expanded six lane Mercer Street. There will also be a new left turn lane from Dexter on to Mercer.
If they could build an elevated roadway with direct access to and from I-5 and 5th Avenue North over the existing Mercer St. in addition to what they already have, man that would be great as I think the majority of people travel that way through there anyways. People wouldn't have to worry about traffic lights getting to I-5 once they leave the Seattle Center.
If any of the lights in Seattle were synchronized, it would make a huge difference. Â We have sat on Mercer and watched red light after red light, with 2-3 cars max crossing the intersection on an extended light. Â it is still red on our side with NO cars crossing for quite some time. Â We go up the hill at Spring, a major artery to I-5 south, all the time and it's the same thing. Â The traffic is backed up to 1st because the cross streets get random lights with NO traffic crossing. Â If the lights were more synchronized to be green together, traffic would flow at least a little, versus not at all. Â I've never seen worse lights anywhere in the entire world. Â You shouldn't be sitting at a red light for a minute or 2 at 10 pm without one car ever passing in front of you. Â When you finally go, you drive a few blocks to get a red light and it happens all over again. Â It's terrible.
I thought those lines meant they were finally going to cut under dexter and make that choke point a bypass like they did with 99. Dam, guess will have to pray harder.
Too bad they can't do this in all the OTHER intersections as well - and start handing out tickets in EVERY intersection to EVERY driver who blocks them - NO EXCEPTIONS!
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Traffic would flow MUCH more smoothly if it was not impeded by idiots who think yellow lights mean "go ahead & go, you'll get through eventually".
@LocalLady I agree. My biggest problem and source of frustration, are the drivers on 4th Ave downtown who make right turns from the lane outside the turn lane. I cannot stand this, it blocks traffic, and for some reason they refuse to use the curb lane, as it is designated a turn lane.
 @northwestsurfer  @LocalLady I don't think 4th has any of these, but there are places in downtown where BOTH the turn lane, AND the next lane over can make turns (it's marked). 6th onto Pike and union onto 5th are two of these I can think of off the top of my head.
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The problem on 4th I think is that people panic over the bus lane, not realizing they are allowed in it, and are supposed to use it, to turn.
@mhungry @LocalLady Yes, fourth avenue does. I take it every day while riding my motorcycle to work. There are many turn lanes (bus lanes) that must be used as turn only lanes for regular motorists wishing to turn onto one way streets heading heast from 4th. There are also lanes directly adjacent to 4th that can also be used as turn lanes. The problem is, motorists will sometimes ignore the right turn only (curb) lane, and use the one adjacent to it. This blocks north traffic on 4th. Even worse, sometimes they will occupy half of each lane, making a turn.
Give it a year and it will be fine. This is a huge project, and there are still a lot of bugs to work out, but now that I've driven on it a few times I'm convinced it's something that "should" have happened years ago.Â
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The idiotically worthless S.L.U.T. on the other hand...
Ever seen the movie "Falling Down"? Yep its about like that....
The SPD and the evil State Patrol revenue service really should always be focused on ticketing gridlockers.  Don't worry about the turkey doing 39 in a 35 at 5pm; they aren't the big problem.  It's that bozo blocking the lane.  That's not the only problem... there's also  the large gravel truck breaking windshields with an uncovered load, the cellphone-focused driver merging onto the freeway at 35 rather than 60 because it's hard to text and accelerate at the same time, and granny waiting for 5 minutes to go straight through a two-way stop, so nobody else can do a left.  But the gridlockers are the biggest problem.
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Are the uniforms for revenue enhancement, or are they to improve safety and quality of life? Â Think about it next time their union makes waves.
 @tcat:Â
"....  there's also the large gravel truck breaking windshields with an uncovered load .."
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The problem with gravel trucks is that there is an exception in the law - as long as the top of the SIDE of their load is 12 inched below the top edge of the truck, they do not have to cover their load. Take a look next time you see a dump truck - they ALL hvae "extenders" along their sides, raising the "side" of the truck another 12 inches. If they did not have them, they would have to be covering EVERY load.
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My understanding is they will be trying to get the exception (loophole) closed down this coming legislative session.
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HURRAY!
 @TCat Talking about "safety" and "quality of life", please don't forget the jerk drivers who allow their retina-burning permanently-on-high-beam headlamps to blind everyone's eyes... at night and even during daytime! Start ticketing those selfish, dangerous fools for illegal equipment violations... and, since a lot of them also seem to have illegally over-tinted blacked-out windows as well, they can be nailed for that equipment violation too!
so stay clear of the new wonderful mercer "mess" solution? i don't get it.
 @SwampThing it is messdot making sure they have job security for the next fix to this mess
I wouldn't mind seeing these X's on every intersection! These blockers tie up traffic everywhere!
 @Zoso I was being blocked by a woman under the Ballard bridge; I gave her a dirty look and pointed to an open lane where she could go to get out of the intersection. She looked at me like I was crazy. Geez, learn the rules BEFORE you get behind the wheel!