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segment, through each intersection, and on the freeway ramps. The main purpose in this <br />modeling exercise was to determine two sets of information: (1) How much traffic would be on <br />each road segment for different scenarios and different years; and (2) How would the additional <br />traffic affect speeds on road segments. <br />The model identified important information on several matters: <br />1. Queuing problems may occur on Exit 54, westbound, in 2015 (depending on the level of <br />development in this sub-area) <br />2. Queuing problems may occur on Exit 53 as well, in 2015. <br />3. Speeds may be very low (below 10 mph) on SR-906 northbound between Summit Central <br />and Exit 53. <br />4. Speeds on 1-90 over the summit may drop to 50 mph by 2015. <br />5. Congestion will worsen on SR-906 between Exits 52 and 53. The expected volume in the <br />peak hours would be greater than the capacity of a two-lane road. <br />6. Building a frontage road on the east side of 1-90 would not result in significant time savings <br />for residents. <br />The model was run for both 2005 and 2015. Conditions were modeled for higher and lower <br />housing development (please see the Land Use section of the Plan). The differences in operating <br />conditions under these scenarios was not significant from those conditions under the "Planning <br />Projections". These model results, coupled with our observations of pedestrian and parking <br />activities, result in the following proposals to improve traffic flow at Snoqualmie Pass now and in <br />the future. Most of these proposals are based on better management, rather than built <br />improvements. <br />6.1.3 Improving Traffic Operations -Physical Improvements <br />As traffic levels increase, congestion will rise and travel speeds will fall. The Pass area already <br />suffers from traffic congestion on busy winter weekends. The following sections outline <br />improvements that should ease traffic congestion now, and help alleviate problems in the <br />future. <br />1) Realigned SR-906 at Summit Central <br />Booth Creek Holdings has included a realigned SR-906 in their Master Plan for The Summit at <br />Snoqualmie. SR-906 would be moved so it lay outside the Summit Central parking area. This is <br />intended to remove the current conflict between skiers and pedestrians. Now, all skiers have to <br />cross SR-906 to reach the lifts (except those parking along the southwest side of SR-906). The <br />proposed realignment would bend around to the north of the parking. A few sharp bends would <br />be created in SR-906. This could create some safety and operational issues. Drivers would have <br />to negotiate sharper curves under snow and ice conditions. Plowing may become more difficult. <br />The high snow banks created by the plows, combined with the curves, may create sight distance <br />problems. <br />Kittitas County <br />Comprehensive Plan <br />December 2016