Q&A | Getting traction | Traffic lights for light traffic | Making light bulbs go on

Q: During winter months, the state Department of Transportation and State Patrol often issue traffic alerts for traction tires advised or required, or for tire chains required, for crossing mountain passes. But what, specifically, is a traction tire?

"I asked a tire salesman and he didn't know," said Charles Reed, of Kenmore.

A: A more knowledgeable salesperson would be helpful. To qualify as a traction tire, the tire must have at least 1/8th-inch of tread and be labeled Mud and Snow, M+S, All Season, or have a Mountain/Snowflake symbol, said Transportation Department spokeswoman Aurora Jones.

There are three types of traction tires approved for use on this state's highways: studded tires, stud-alternative tires and all-season tires. Studded tires can provide additional traction on snow and ice, but they're only permitted during a designated period (usually Nov. 1 to March 31) because they wear down the road surface. Stud-alternative tires have small cuts in the tire surface to provide extra traction without studs. They are designed to grip the roadway in wet weather conditions but are too soft to provide traction in warm summer weather, said Jones.

All-season tires, on the other hand, offer extra traction in all weather conditions and are suitable for year-round, everyday use.

The state has more information about traction tires, and even some photos, on its Web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter. (Look under "Links on this page.")

Q: David Wilson and Joyce Ptolemy, of Seattle, say they are delighted to see improvements to Highway 522 between Lake City and Bothell. Still, they are wondering if attention can be focused on traffic signals along that highway — that's the stretch some folks know as Bothell Way Northeast — at Northeast 153rd Street, and also much farther northeast, at 83rd Place Northeast.

Both have left-turn arrows. Can those left-turn arrows be programmed to change to yellow blinking arrows during times when traffic is light? Often, Wilson said, the way is clear for a left turn, but traffic must wait for the green arrow. That gets aggravating, particularly at midday and at night.

A: Traffic is often heavy at those intersections, one in Lake Forest Park and the other in Kenmore, said Bob Lindskov, signals engineer for the state Department of Transportation (DOT), which oversees most of that highway because it is a state route.

"At intersections like these, fast-moving, heavy traffic can make it hard for drivers to find adequate gaps in oncoming traffic to safely make turns," he said.

The DOT examined the collision histories at those intersections, as well as the roadway layout, sight distances and average speeds, in designing those traffic signals. Also, the signals are synchronized to help keep traffic moving along Highway 522 by giving priority to eastbound and westbound through traffic, he said.

To permit through traffic to back up at those intersections would cause problems at adjacent intersections and increase the risk of rear-end collisions, he said. Even when heavy traffic is not an issue, he added, those other factors still have to be considered.

So, the state plans to continue restricting left turns to only green arrows at those lights. "At the worst, left-turning drivers shouldn't have to wait longer than two minutes and 20 seconds before getting a green arrow," he said.

The department is exploring use of a blinking yellow caution light for left-turning drivers during nonrush-hour traffic at some intersections along the highway. But, Lindskov said, not at those two.

Bumper note

• It's good when just pointing out a problem can get it resolved. A Stanwood reader pointed out that exit lights at Interstate 5's South Stanwood/Camano Island exit (exit 212) were out, and had been for months. "It is very difficult to see the offramp at night," the reader complained.

Well, a state DOT crew checked the street lights at the ramp and discovered two lights that needed new bulbs. Those bulbs were replaced last Wednesday, said Mike Swires, DOT traffic engineer, and all of the lighting in the area should be operating properly now.

• Last May, Gov. Christine Gregoire signed into law a measure aimed at making Washington roads safer by banning text messaging while driving. The law takes effect Jan. 1 — New Year's Day — and covers reading, writing and sending text messages. The fine will be $124, but it can be more if the violation occurs in a construction zone. But "texting while driving" is a secondary offense, meaning an officer has to be stopping you for some other violation first.