Soon, planners promise, traffic flow will be smoother at the intersection of Highway 305 and Suquamish Way. Park-and-ride parking will be safer and more secure. The intersection will also be more bicyclist and transit user-friendly.

Construction begins March 7 and is should be completed this summer.

While construction is underway, drivers on Highway 305 can expect weeknight one-way alternating traffic controlled by flaggers. In addition, the highway will have occasional shoulder and turn-lane closures.

“Most of the work will be done at night and a lot of the work will be done off the highway,” said Doug Adamson, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

The first improvement will be immediate: The park-and-ride lot at the intersection will permanently close after March 6; a new public park-and-ride has been established at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort parking garage.

The old park-and-ride lot will become part of a wider, 600-foot right-turn lane that will be separated from Highway 305 by an island.