Why is there Always Traffic? What’s the Cause of it?
With Seattle being one of the top 11 cities with the worst traffic in America, traffic has been becoming a more prominent issue. Journalist Arushi Rawat from the site ‘Financial Express’ mentioned that “Traffic congestion can be caused by key factors such as accidents, traffic overload, construction and even pedestrians crossing the road incorrectly or holding up vehicles. In Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, traffic congestion becomes worse due to bad roads, and poor connectivity among other factors.” In this article, we will further explore and explain traffic congestion on the most popular highways in Washington.
I-405N Traffic
A lot of the people who live in either Renton or Kent occupy jobs located in Bellevue, Redmond, Factoria, or Kirkland. Northbound I-405 always has traffic from 6-11 AM.
(A picture of 405 north bound.)
I-405 S Traffic
From the afternoon until the night, lots of people are trying to get home from work. From 2-9 PM, from Bellevue to Renton on the I-405 Southbound can be congested.
(A picture of 405 south bound.)
I-90 traffic
On I-90, there isn’t always traffic unless there’s construction or car accidents. When you go on I-90, you won’t have much traffic during the day or night. There is almost always traffic from Snoqualmie Pass to Spokane during the winter season. This is mostly because during that time there’s always snow or blizzards, which causes traffic.
(Pictures of I-90 Snoqualmie Pass during the winter season.)
(Pictures of I-5 north & south bound.)
I-5 traffic
Seattle Times reporter, David Gutman states, “Even if the city and state wanted to do so, there’s no easy way to widen Interstate 5 through Seattle. The highway’s west side is lined with buildings and businesses, some less than 100 feet from mainline traffic. The east side of the highway is the same, but even more daunting. A half-century ago, when the highway was being built, the uphill neighborhoods, Capitol Hill and First Hill, became unstable, with small landslides threatening to devolve into larger, catastrophic ones. Whole blocks of buildings could have slid into the new I-5 canyon below. The solution: retaining walls on I-5’s east side have steel and cement columns drilled 120 feet deep to hold up the hillside. Those columns are not easily moved.”
Here are some reasons why there’s always traffic on the freeways in Washington:
- Accidents.
- People on their way to work.
- People on their way home after work.
- Construction.
- Holidays. People travel on the freeway to meet with family.
Multiple things contribute to traffic, whether it’s people going home from work or people trying to spend time with their families during the holidays. Things like car accidents or construction work also commonly contribute to traffic jams. In order to avoid it, taking the exit ramp is the only way to get where you want to be.
Sources:
The Worst traffic Jams in Washington State
I-90 blocked at 405 traffic accident collision
Labor day I-5 & I-90 worse Traffic
Can’t Washington state ease I-5 traffic? Fixes exist, but most of them are pricey.
What causes traffic jams: 5 reasons for congestion – Car News
https://www.financialexpress.com › auto › what-causes-tr…
