State Route 99

SR 99 begins in Fife at I-5 Exit 137 and ends near Everett Mall at I-5 Exit 189. SR 99 is 51.64 miles long.

2004 Update: The 2004 legislative session passed a bill that was signed by Gov. Locke that dropped about 3 miles of SR 99 from the state highway system. This section begins at Jct SR 518 inside the City of SeaTac and ends at Jct SR 599 in Tukwila. This section of roadway is known as International Blvd in SeaTac and Tukwila International Blvd (still signed as Pacific Hwy S as of march 2004) in Tukwila. The legislative session ended March 11. The bill becomes effective 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

From I-5 Exit 137, SR 99 heads north on 54th Ave E to Pacific Hwy E. At Pacific Hwy, SR 99 turns right and joins former US 99, heading east then north on Pacific Hwy E. Crossing into King County, the name changes to Pacific Hwy S. 99 continues thru Federal Way (1997 population 75,960) and other SW King County cities. At the SeaTac city limits, the name changes to International Blvd, and at the Tukwila city limits the name becomes Tukwlia International Blvd. At Jct SR 599, SR 99 leaves Tukwila Int'l Blvd, following the West Marginal Way freeway to the First Ave S Bridge. There is a traffic light on SR 99 at the end of the West Marginal Way freeway before the interchange at the south end of the bridge. There are two parallel bridges on First Ave S across the Duwamish River, both with bascule drawspans. The northbound bridge was completed in 1956 and renovated after the southbound bridge opened a couple years ago. At the north end of the bridge, SR 99 leaves First Ave S and takes East Marginal Way S north to the Alaskan Freeway. The Alaskan Freeway starts a few blocks south of Spokane Street, is elevated for a few blocks, then at surface level to the south end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Rising up onto the viaduct, SR 99 passes between the downtown core and the waterfront. The north end of the viaduct connects with the Battery St Tunnel. At the north end of the tunnel, SR 99 joins Aurora Ave N. From the Battery St Tunnel to the Green Lake area, SR 99 is a proto-freeway opened in 1932. There are no grade crossings but there are several intersecting side streets and driveways. North of Greenlake, SR 99, Aurora Ave N, becomes an unlimited access street. Sr 99 follows Aurora from Seattle thru Shoreline to the King-Snohomish County Line. In Shoreline at the SW corner of N 155th St and Aurora, one can still see the old bridge abudment where the Seattle-Everett interurban line used to cross Aurora. In Snohomish County, the local street name for SR 99 changes to Highway 99. At the intersection of 112th St SW and SR 99, inside the Everett city limits, the street name changes to Evergreen Way. A mile or so north, 99 comes to the junction of Evergreen Way and Everett Mall Way. The earlier route of US 99 continued straight ahead on Evergreen Way to downtown Everett. The later route of US 99 turned to the right onto Everett Mall Way. SR 99 follows this later route to Jct I-5 at Exit 189 and ends.