But one recent morning it took five minutes for cars to move the 1.5 miles from the ramp over 522 to 202's turn at Northeast 175th. Traffic at the main intersection, 131st and 175th, already exceeds levels that planners thought wouldn't happen for another 13 years. To deal with that, Woodinville and Bothell officials propose to turn 202 into a bypass, widening and rerouting it to the northwest over the top of 522. The bypass would widen 202 from two lanes to four or five lanes near its intersection with 175th, the corner next to McCorry's and near the Sammamish River. Woodinville and Bothell officials want the proposal included with the planned expansion of I-405.
Many drivers welcome the bypass idea.
Traffic has worsened over the years because the city is a major crossing point for vehicles on the way somewhere else, such as Redmond, Bellevue or Seattle. City officials estimate that 80 percent of the traffic on major streets is just passing through. Another factor is the large number of people working in the city, outnumbering residents here. But some worry about a bypass's effect on the community of 9,194, which has continued to grapple with growth issues since it incorporated in 1993. A bypass could generate more traffic in the long run, said Mike Coulon, a truck driver whose former wife and children live here.