Electronic Highway Signs Aim to Ease Commuting Pain

Kirkland commuters who are looking for the best route across Lake Washington will soon have a new tool to help them navigate while they’re on the road.

The Washington State Department of Transportation activated electronic signs in Bellevue and Woodinville last week, with another one planned in Kirkland, that tell drivers the travel times to Seattle via two different routes.

“These electronic travel-information signs are the latest addition to our arsenal of innovative tools that help drivers reach their destination more quickly and safely,” said WSDOT Toll Division Director Craig Stone. “The signs adapt to changing conditions on the road and give drivers real-time information to help them avoid unexpected traffic backups.”

The Kirkland sign is on southbound Interstate 405 at the Northeast 72nd Place overpass and will give drive times via state Route 520 and Interstate 90. It’s not clear yet when that sign will be activated, said Annie Johnson, a spokeswoman with the Transportation Department. The department is still working with the contractor on that sign, and then it needs a 20-day test period with no errors, Johnson said.

In Bellevue, the new sign is on westbound SR 520, one mile east of I-405. It gives travel times via 520 and I-90.

In Woodinville, the sign is on westbound state Route 522 at the state Route 202 overpass. It provides travel times via SR 522 and SR 520.

Tolling on state Route 520 is slated to , at the earliest. Some critics are concerned that drivers will shift south to I-90 to avoid the tolls, creating congestion.

The electronic signs are among several federally funded projects under way aimed at helping reduce congestion and improve safety on SR 520 and I-90 in the Puget Sound area. The projects are a cooperative effort between WSDOT, Puget Sound Regional Council, King County and the U.S. Department of Transportation.