First Street Bypass opens

Marysville First Street Bypass is now open as city officials cut the ribbon on the major transportation project on Oct. 2.

The new road provides a new east-west route through Marysville, providing a more direct connection from the downtown area to the Sunnyside neighborhood.

The project is funded through the city's funds and cost about $13 million.

"We're here today to celebrate the opening of the one the largest construction projects in our city's history," said Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring.

City officials began the project, in part, to prepare for some major state funded projects that are about to begin in the downtown.

"We want to accommodate the connection to the new I-5/529 interchange that is coming," said Nehring.

That project is planned to be completed by the end of 2023 and will provide a new access from I-5 into the city.

Traffic going to and from Granite Falls, Sunnyside, Lake Stevens and other local areas will be "coming down here and getting off or on that new interchange," said Nehring.

Those travelers now have a new route to get to the Sunnyside and surrounding neighborhoods.

"With Exit 199 this will help what would have been a congestion of everything at State [Avenue] and Fourth [Street]," said Nehring.

"It will also provide a new interchange in and around the railroads," he said.

The new First Street Bypass extends the current First Street so that drivers can go from State Avenue to 47th Avenue.

"As you might imagine a project this large requires a lot of materials," said Nehring.

A total of 15,000 cubic yards of gravel, which is 1,440 truckloads, was used for the project.

The roadway was built with 8,500 tons of asphalt and 10,000 tons of crushed rock, he said.

In addition, approximately 3,500 plants and trees were added for aesthetics and storm drain improvements, said Nehring.

"Other improvements include attractive street lighting and traffic signal upgrades," he said.

Although the street is now open for vehicles, pedestrian and bicycle paths are currently in the process of being completed.

"Those will open in about two weeks when we have some more efficient guard rails," said Nehring.

The First Street Bypass has long been in the city's transportation plans.

"This was a long-term vision for the transportation infrastructure of our city," said Nehring.

Design work for the new street actually began decades ago.

"This project actually started in concept in the 1960s," said Public Works Director Kevin Nielsen. "I know the government doesn't get things done fast but that's a long time."

Nielsen and Nehring thanked the contractors, City Council and city staff who helped manage the project over the last year.

"As a director I get to build these great projects with great teams," said Nielsen.