Transportation reporter Ed Friedrich asked me to share notice of
a meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Olalla Community Club on Kitsap
County’s proposals for fixing Hairpin Hillside on Banner Road.
Those, like Ed, familiar with the southernmost quarter mile of
Banner Road, know “the skinny road makes a couple 90 degree turns
at the top of a high bank overlooking Colvos Passage and Mount
Rainier, then drops down to Olalla. The road is near the edge of a
cliff and has no shoulders. It needs safety improvements and the
bank needs to be stabilized, according to the county.”
Ed says, when you’re at the crest of the hill, heading downhill,
and the weather’s nice, you can see Mouth Rainier.
“It might be the most gorgeous view in the whole county,” Ed
says.
A consultant has proposed a number of alternatives, some of which
take that section of road far away from the waterfront.
I personally have not tracked accident rates at this location, but
this area does not jump out at me as, say, Highway 16 in Gorst
does.
What’s your experience with the road? Is safety an issue? Check out
the proposed
alternatives on the county’s website. Which one’s seem most
viable and convenient for the community. If that section of the
road is closed, would you miss the view?
Here’s Ed’s press release.
Public Invited to Banner Road Improvement Meeting
Kitsap Sun Staff
OLALLA
Kitsap County Public Utilities staff and a consultant will host a
community
meeting Tuesday evening to discuss the future of the southernmost
quarter
mile of Banner Road.
The skinny road makes a couple 90-degree turns at the top of a high
bank
overlooking Colvos Passage and Mount Rainier, then drops down to
Olalla. The
road is near the edge of a cliff and has no shoulders. It needs
safety
improvements and the bank needs to be stabilized, according to the
county.
The meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Olalla Community Club,
12970
Olalla Valley Road.
Several alternatives have been identified, including rebuilding the
road
where it is, closing it, making it one way, or replacing it with
other new
or improved roads.
KPFF Consulting Engineers has been selected to analyze the
alternatives.
There is $150,000 budgeted this year and next for the report, which
is
expected to be completed by May. There is no money for final
engineering
design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction. The project is
on the
county’s six-year Transportation Improvement Program and had been
discussed
in previous years as the Culver Street Extension.
The report will propose and justify a preferred alternative,
develop a
schedule and provide preliminary cost estimates for the
alternatives.
To look at the alternatives, schedule or make an online comment,
visit
http://www.kitsapgov.com/pw/banner.htm.
