Needs & benefits
This project included widening SR 14 between I-205 and Southeast 164th Avenue to remove chokepoints eastbound and westbound and adding a new part-time shoulder to provide an additional westbound travel lane during highly congested travel times. Other elements included to support these improvements are storm water facilities, a noise wall, fiber optics, electronic message signs, a ramp meter, traffic cameras, and right of way acquisition.
Part time shoulder lane
In addition to new lanes of travel in either direction, this project also creates a new part-time shoulder. When traffic is heavy, westbound SR 14 travelers going to northbound I-205 will be able to use the right shoulder, creating an additional lane of travel. When this lane is open, there will be four travel lanes instead of three.
- Electronic signs over the highway will display whether the part-time shoulder is open to traffic, allowing travelers, including buses, to use the shoulder as a regular travel lane during times with heavy traffic.
When the lane is open, a green arrow and “OPEN” and “EXIT ONLY” (to northbound I-205) messages are displayed
When the lane is closed, a red “X” and “CLOSED” are displayed.
When the lane is closing due to debris, an emergency or a vehicle blocking the lane, a yellow arrow along with “CAUTION” or “CLOSED AHEAD” messages will be displayed, and drivers will need to use caution to exit the shoulder lane.
Emergency use
The WSDOT Traffic Management Center (TMC) use traffic cameras to monitor the shoulder lane and can open/close it remotely. If there’s an emergency or a vehicle blocking the lane, the overhead sign will show a red “X” and “CLOSED”, to indicate the lane is closed until the issue is resolved. Additionally, paved emergency pullouts are located every half mile outside the part-time shoulder lane to aid in emergency response.
Ramp meter
As part of this project, a ramp meter was installed for travelers accessing westbound SR 14 from Southeast 164th Avenue. The ramp meter dynamically adjusts the flow of vehicles entering SR 14 based on current roadway conditions to maximize traffic flow on the highway.
- Ramp meters help maximize the flow of traffic by increasing merging space between vehicles entering the highway and traffic already on the highway - maintaining a more consistent traffic flow and improving travel speeds and safety.
- Ramp meters help reduce collisions.
Public transit benefits
Authorized transit can use the shoulder to access both northbound and southbound I-205 from SR 14 at any time. They can enter the part-time shoulder lane directly from the dedicated westbound bus lane on Southeast 164th Avenue.
Funding for this project was originally slated for the SR 14 West Camas Slough Bridge project, a few miles to the east on SR 14. It was determined that there was a more urgent need to reduce congestion on SR 14 between I-205 and Southeast 164th Avenue, so the funding was moved in the 2017 legislative session.
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