New SR 522 off-ramp to US 2 gets rave reviews from drivers

By guest blogger Bronlea Mishler
Looking toward eastbound traffic
 at the top of the new SR 522 flyover ramp

When it comes to construction projects, sometimes we’re a little biased: We like ‘em all. Once you shepherd a project through the design process and watch it come to life on the highway, you get a little attached. And we’re not ashamed to say that we’re darn proud of our work.

The real icing on the cake for us, though, is hearing positive feedback from drivers after we wrap up a construction project.

Take the new flyover ramp from eastbound SR 522 to eastbound US 2, for example. Regular commuters and residents had waited years for a faster, more direct connection to US 2 and points east, and the two year construction period probably seemed to last forever.

Just before Christmas last year, we opened the new ramp to traffic early on a Saturday morning. We knew the ramp would make a big difference to daily drivers and holiday travelers alike – and we got almost instant positive feedback:

It’s great! It has made it so much easier in the evening commute. If I have to go east, I’m not stuck at the light anymore and when I need to go west toward home, I’m not stuck behind a huge line of cars turning east and I can usually zip right through.
I have driven the new ramp three times since it opened. Much to my surprise it was easy to use and there was no traffic back up as I had feared. The landscaping is lovely.
I love the new ramp at SR522 and US2. I use it regularly and really appreciate not having to wait at the light. I can’t wait until all the rest of the work can be completed to open up the new WB lanes on US2 as well – that should help with the backups in the area. Thanks for everything you do… I recognize WSDOT has very limited resources, and I appreciate the work you do.
I think it’s great! It sure does streamline traffic flow, making eastbound access to Highway 2 seamless.
Great job on the new flyover ramp; it has definitely made our commute home quicker and easier.
We love it! When we wanted to go through Monroe it was heavenly and when we wanted to go to Fred Meyer it made that transition easier by having fewer cars in the mix!
Gotta say, really enjoy this new ramp and extra lane on EB hwy 2 in Monroe. Makes for a much more pleasant commute home from work every day.
I like it because I commute regularly through Monroe not needing to stop and this makes it a little easier.
Getting so much positive feedback really makes our day. If you’re out on the highways this spring and summer – perhaps headed to the pass for some late-season skiing or over the mountains for some time in the sun – try out the new ramp and see what you think.