Project overview
SR 522 in Snohomish County is an increasingly important east-west route connecting communities between Woodinville and Monroe. One section between Paradise Lake Road in Maltby and the Snohomish River remains one-lane in each direction. We plan to widen the highway to two lanes in each direction, build a new eastbound bridge at Fales Road/Echo Lake Road, replace the SR 522 intersection at Paradise Lake Road with an interchange and remove fish barriers.
What to expect
Although there is no funding for construction at this time, we are proceeding with the design phase of this project. Travelers should not expect to see construction in the area during this design phase.
The next effort will focus on continuing to advance the design of the preferred alternative and developing and evaluating complete streets alternatives. WSDOT is preparing to re-engage with the expanded Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and conduct community engagement in early fall 2024 to seek feedback.
This map shows SR 522 between Paradise Lake Road in Maltby and the Snohomish River. When funded for construction, we will widen the highway and improve the Paradise Lake Road and the Fales Road/Echo Lake Road intersections.
Snohomish County's population increased 143% between 1980 and 2019, making SR 522 a critical east-west route that connects communities between Woodinville and Monroe. One section, between Paradise Lake Road in Maltby and the Snohomish River, remains one-lane in each direction.
2017 - 2019
SR 522 from Paradise Lake Road and the Snohomish River
To address concerns, we plan to widen the highway to create two lanes in each direction to improve traffic flow and increase trip reliability on the roadway. This includes building a new eastbound bridge at the Fales Road/Echo Lake Road interchange and converting the existing bridge to westbound traffic only.
SR 522/Paradise Lake Road Intersection
Drivers also regularly experience heavy congestion at the SR 522/Paradise Lake Road intersection. The congestion frequently spills over onto side streets as drivers try to find ways around the bottlenecks on the highway.
In 2019, WSDOT using feedback from the Technical Activity Committee (TAC) and the community selected a selected a preliminary preferred alternative for Paradise Lake Road. More information on the TAC and community engagement is below. The key characteristics of the selected concept include:
removing the existing signal near SR 524 and Paradise Lake Road elevating SR 522 near SR 524/Maltby Road
converting the SR 522 and Paradise Lake Road intersection to an interchange with new on- and off-ramps and roundabouts at the ramp and Paradise Lake Road intersections
removing a portion of the existing Paradise Lake Road
realigning Paradise Lake Road to connect to SR 524/Maltby Road underneath the new elevated SR 522
Benefits of the preliminary preferred alternative include:
reduced traffic congestion by replacing the traffic signal with an interchange, which separates SR 522 traffic from local traffic.
improved east-west connectivity
improved local fish passages
improved safety by reducing the risk of rear-end collisions during stop-and-go conditions
Technical advisory committee
A technical advisory committee (TAC) consisting of representatives from area cities and agencies provided feedback and made recommendations on an interchange design for the Paradise Lake Road intersection. Over three meetings in 2018, TAC members worked with WSDOT to identify the preliminary preferred alternative using criteria such as safety, local street operations, SR 522 operations, and forward compatibility. The TAC reviewed forecasted traffic analysis maps, area development plans, community benefits and effects, and project costs.
Technical Advisory Committee Meeting 1
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Presentation (PDF 5.1MB)
Summary (PDF 151KB)
Technical Advisory Committee Meeting 2
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Presentation (PDF 3.2MB)
Summary (PDF 170KB)
Technical Advisory Committee Meeting 3
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Presentation (PDF 3.12MB)
Summary (PDF 162KB)
Community engagement
WSDOT hosted two open houses in 2018. The first open house in October 2018 provided more than 200 attendees an opportunity to review several interchange options that were being studied and provide feedback.
The second open house in December 2018 attracted more than 150 people who reviewed the preliminary preferred alternative and spoke with members of the project team about the concept.
2019 – 2022
The project was paused due to the unknown impact of COVID-19 restrictions.
2022 - present
In 2022 the project was restarted. Over the last two and a half years, the project team has been working to analyze the characteristics of the preferred alternative, which includes:
collecting data including traffic volume, crash data, and topographic surveying to better understand features of the physical environment where the roads will be constructed.
conducting an Intersection Control Evaluation (ICE), an assessment of traffic control measures and conditions at multiple intersections.
ensuring the project is consistent with Target Zero, the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Washington roadways to zero by year 2030.
completing the preliminary hydraulic design (PHD) that analyzes water flow and current fish environments, allowing WSDOT to develop a design that will remove existing fish barriers and improve fish habitats.
Technical advisory committee
The technical advisory committee (TAC) will be relaunched with an expanded list of participants. The TAC will provide technical assistance for the complete streets alternatives development and evaluation.
Community engagement
Feedback from the community is a crucial part of the Complete Streets pre-design process as it ensures that the recommendation developed reflects the community’s vision for active transportation. WSDOT is seeking your feedback to help design a more accessible and safer new interchange. Whether you travel by foot, bike, bus, or car, your perspective is valuable. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Please submit your responses by Monday, October 27, 2025.
