Description
Accessing the Polyclinic parking lot on the north side of their building really mucks things up here. The problem seems to be North bound cars turning left (or west) across the south bound lanes of Meridian, as well as having cars exiting that same parking lot.
The intersection stop lights are pretty quick. People in the south bound lanes are confused in how to handle the people using the polyclinic, and so often yield the right of way.
The effect is that only a few cars make it through the intersection (south bound) which is toward North Seattle Community College. About 15 minutes before each morning hour (when classes start) meridian can back up all the way to N 115th st. Lots of cars become impatient and drive aggressively here, sometimes running the red light so that they can continue on their way, either south on meridian, or east towards I-5 on Northgate way.
My suggestions 1) is for the Polyclinic to direct their customers to using their garage entrance (free to the public) which can be accessed from N. Northgate way, just west of Meridian; 2) extend the length of the intersection lights, or 3), prevent north bound drivers on Meridian to turning left into the polyclinic.
13 Comments
Haylie (Guest)
Anonymous (Guest)
Brian (Guest)
The problem still stands, but probably not every minute of the day. 8:30-9am is the worst because of school traffic.
I'm not sure that SDOT will change the timing of the lights because of the intersections proximity to I-5--longer lights at this intersection, the more congested northgate way becomes.
This is a polyclinic problem. Their traffic impact study when getting permits to build was probably flawed. If they can get their customers to use the exit onto Northgate way and NOT use Meridan it will be better.
brian (Registered User)
It's still a problem.
people trying to enter and exit the clinic mess everything up. The southbound left turn lane onto northgate is way to short.
brian (Guest)
Still a problem. Today I witnessed a Polyclinic patron turn south onto meridian and then west onto northgate way. Doing so prevented 3 cars from continuing on meridian through the intersection.
This would have been avoided if patron exited through the Polyclinic parking garage onto northgate way directly.
But Polyclinic isn't owning this problem despite their causing it.
brian (Registered User)
brian (Registered User)
brian (Registered User)
brian (Registered User)
A) the southbound turn lane to go east on northgate is way too short. 2-3 cars are able to get by, sometimes fewer. Often drivers run the red light.
B) Polyclinic does not advertise that they have a parking garage that accesses northgate way, would let many drivers avoid this intersection all together.
C) polite driving is chaotic; this means that sometimes people being polite interfere with the flow of traffic and these overly short lights.
brian (Registered User)
A) the southbound turn lane to go east on Northgate is way too short. 2-3 cars are able to get by, sometimes fewer. Often drivers run the red light.
B) Polyclinic does not advertise that they have a parking garage that accesses northgate way, would let many drivers avoid this intersection all together.
C) polite driving is chaotic; this means that sometimes people being polite interfere with the flow of traffic and these overly short lights.
brian (Registered User)
brian (Registered User)
same as it ever was...
The lights change too quickly for north/south bound traffic, and the entrance to the polyclinic parking lot compounds the problem.
brian (Registered User)
Well, I hoped that with the new constuction at this intersection, there'd be improvement.
There hasn't been.
and maybe with Polyclinic moving out, it would be better. It's not.