Area commutes taking longer

The strong economy that created 91,000 jobs between 2004 and 2006 in Washington state has contributed to the further clogging of the area's freeways, according to a recently released state study.

The largest increase in average travel time of 38 Central Puget Sound commutes measured is on the morning commute from Tukwila to Bellevue. That 13 ½-mile trip increased by seven minutes between 2004 and 2006, coming in at 42 minutes.

The figures are included in a report issued by the state Department of Transportation (DOT), an annual update on delays and congestion on area highways.

The state study found the average commute during peak travel times increased on 32 of the 38 commute routes. The increases ranged from one minute to seven minutes.

Just six commutes showed slight decreases or no change: the Redmond-to-Bellevue morning commute, the Redmond-to-Seattle morning commute, and the Bellevue-to-Seattle morning commute via Highway 520.

The return home on those commutes showed small increases in drive time.

The report found that, in the two years studied, those 91,000 new jobs in the Puget Sound area translated to 107,000 new residents.

"Employment and population continue to grow in the Puget Sound region," said Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond in a prepared statement. "That translates to more families going to jobs, schools and shopping; more trucks and deliveries and more traffic. You just can't buy your way out of congestion."

Other areas that showed increases in average travel times include the Federal Way-to-Seattle morning commute, the Bellevue-to-Seattle evening commute via Interstate 90, the Everett-to-Seattle morning commute, and the Bellevue-to-Tukwila evening commute.

The state says more than $1.5 billion of design and construction work has been completed to help relieve congestion.

Completed projects include:

• Widening of Highway 18 to four lanes, reducing travel times by up to 20 minutes westbound.

• Adding a lane in each direction through Kirkland on Interstate 405 and improving the Northeast 116th Street interchange.

• Building new car-pool lanes between Federal Way and Tacoma, chopping more than five minutes from the evening commute for those who use those lanes.

• Adding a lane in each direction on Highway 527, improving traffic between Mill Creek and Everett.

In the next 10 years, the DOT plans to add 58 miles of car-pool lanes and spend more money on freeway-widening projects.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com