Sam Low's eNewsletter
Snohomish County Council
3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609
Everett, Washington 98201
8th floor, Robert J. Drewel Building
Phone: 425-388-3494
E-Mail: Sam.Low@snoco.org
Darcy Cheesman, Legislative Aide
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According to Boeing sources a new 737 line will be coming to Everett in the 4th quarter of 2024, more details should be released soon. Great news for Snohomish County!
Sky Valley VOA Campus
 This month I enjoyed the opportunity to tour the Sky Valley VOA campus along with other elected officials. We had the opportunity to see their food bank program, the family resource center and toured their new thrift store and teen center. The VOA is an incredible resource for the sky valley community, and it is amazing to see all the work they are doing to help others. I encourage you to check out the thrift store if you are in the area.
New signage planned for US 2
Information provided by WSDOT
In the next couple months, we (WSDOT) plan to install four new signs in place of the electronic signs that count the days since the last serious collision on US 2. The new signs will not include an electronic counter but will still remind drivers to remain alert and drive safely on the highway.
On eastbound US 2, drivers will see the “Stay Alert Stay Alive” sign at milepost 10.27, approximately a quarter mile east of Westwick Road. The second sign “Alert Today Alive Tomorrow” will follow at milepost 10.78. On westbound US 2, these signs will appear at milepost 31.72 and milepost 30.86.
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These new signs will require no maintenance once installed. This will allow WSDOT maintenance and signal technicians to concentrate on more urgent needs to maintain safety on our highways.
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The $12,000 spent yearly on these signs will be reallocated to support other maintenance needs. |
Replacement reasoning
The existing signs need to be replaced for several reasons:
- The signs were installed 13 years ago and have outlived their expected lifespan.
- The sign located west of Monroe near Westwick Road stopped operating consistently more than a year ago. The sign east of Gold Bar is also failing. Our signals technicians advised us that replacement parts are no longer available, and the signs cannot be repaired. The sign west of Monroe has been removed and we expect the sign near Gold Bar will be removed in the coming weeks.
- Washington State Patrol troopers bore the responsibility of resetting the counters to zero. This meant a trooper had to make a special trip to change the signs, temporarily removing them from patrol duties. WSP recently notified WSDOT that troopers would no longer be available for this task.
- The signs frequently lost power. When that occurred, our signal technicians were required to make special trips to restore power, repair electronics when possible and reset the counter to the appropriate number of days.
- There is no evidence that providing the number of days since the last serious collision had any significant effect on driver behavior.
US 2 safety improvements
Since 2008, we (WSDOT) have invested more than $74.7 million on US 2 improvements, including the completion of a median barrier between SR 9 and the Pilchuck River bridge.
More safety and work is planned over the next several years thanks to an additional $17 million in Connecting Washington funding. These funds will be used for multiple improvements including:
- A new roundabout at Old Owen Road
- Active transportation improvements in Monroe
- Updated bridge reflectivity
- Additional signage
- Updated pedestrian crossing signals
Information provided by Snohomish County Planning and Development Services
From December 30th, 2022 - January 31st, 2023, Snohomish County is seeking public input on potential policy amendments under consideration as part of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update. This constitutes the second of six phases in a process taking place through May of 2023 intended to provide the public with early opportunities to review and comment on draft policy amendments related to each element of the Comprehensive Plan.
The second phase will outline and provide an opportunity for input on draft policy amendments related to the Land Use element of the Comprehensive Plan. The elements and timing of the following four phases are presented in the table below.
The Comprehensive Plan is a document that guides Snohomish County decisions on a wide range of topics and services over a 20-year time period. The Plan acts as the blueprints for development in the county. It will impact neighborhoods, businesses, traffic, the environment, and you. The Plan is also meant to reflect the vision and priorities of Snohomish County communities and residents, while meeting requirements of state and federal law.
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Phase
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Element(s)
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Comment Period
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Phase II
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December 31st, 2022 – January 31st, 2023
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Phase III
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- Natural Environment
- Tribal Coordination
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February 1st – March 2nd, 2023
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Phase IV
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- Urban Core Subarea Plan
- Housing
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March 1st – 31st, 2023
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Phase V
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- Climate Change
- Capital Facilities and Utilities
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March 31st – May 1st, 2023
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Phase VI
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- Parks and Recreation
- Transportation
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May 1st – 31st, 2023
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 We value receiving comments from the communities we serve. Comments can be sent over email at 2024Update@snoco.org, and through comment forms (Phase II Comment Form here, and the general project comment form here). Your input will help shape the policy amendments that county staff refine and present to the Planning Commission and County Council.
To learn more about the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, visit the project page at https://snohomishcountywa.gov/5597/2024-Update, and watch this video for a high-level overview of the update. Click here to view the county’s Comprehensive Plan currently in force, adopted in 2015 and planning for the time period 2015-2035. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
2024 Comprehensive Plan Update Project Team
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