The in basket: Three readers have written to say they are sure traffic signals were promised as part of this year’s Sedgwick Road safety project, at intersections that haven’t gotten them.

Bruce Robison said, “When the project was listed long ago in the state’s  Olympic Region status on the web, traffic signals were going to be placed at Bravo Terrace, Geiger, Converse, and Phillips. Did this just get dropped?” 

Gayle Dilling wrote, “Please tell me that after months of noise, detours, sleepless nights, bumpy roads, honking horns, watching children darn nearly get run over by speeding cars on Sedgwick, the removal of so many trees,and the previous report that there WOULD be a light at Converse that soon they are going to install a light there!”

And a commenter on the Road Warrior blog at kitsapsun.com under the e-mail name sandismailbox, asked “What happened to the light we’ve been hearing about for years at Converse? They should have left the road alone by (Highway 16) and used the money for a light on Converse.” 

The out basket: It’s easy to confuse “light” to mean “traffic signal,” and that’s what Project Engineer Brenden Clarke thinks happened in this case. 

“There seems to have been some misunderstandings or miscommunications regarding the ‘lights’ at four intersections,” he said. “There were three intersections that did get ‘lights’ as a part of the project. (It) installed illumination systems at Converse, Jackson, and Phillips. Geiger Road was originally scoped to have had an illumination system added, but it did not meet the criteria since it does not have left turn channelization.

“The original and final scope of the project did not include traffic signal systems,” he said. “It seems that there were some people that believed that the ‘lights’ to be added were traffic signals, but the intent has always been illumination. 

“There is also a developer project that may go forward that would install a traffic signal and illumination at Bravo Terrace.”

If Gayle really did read in The Sun that there would be a traffic signal at Converse, I hope I didn’t write it. If I or some other reporter did, we may have fallen victim to the very confusion Brenden describes between lights and signals.

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The in basket: Duane Hogue writes to say, “Now that the Hood Canal bridge replacement is pretty much all done, I’m wondering about how high winds will be affecting the bridge as far as closing it to traffic now. 

“They used to have a limit of sustained wind speed of 45 mph for closing the bridge to auto traffic,” he said. “I’m guessing that they will probably raise the limit on wind speed before closing but kind of wonder as to what the new limit would be.”

The out basket: Well, only the east half is new, and though the whole point of its replacement was to make the bridge less vulnerable to damage or destruction, that isn’t enough to change the rules for wind-caused opening of the center draw spans.

“Our Traffic Management Center monitors the bridge with a system that sends us an alarm on the wind status out there,” says Lisa Copeland, Olympic Region spokeswoman for the state transportation department.

 ”When winds are sustained at 35 mph for 15 minutes, the alarm goes off and we alert the bridge crews to monitor conditions at the site. A supervisor at the bridge makes the decision whether or not to open the bridge when those winds are sustained at 40 mph.”

Tony Leingang of the Transportation Management Center adds, “It’s heavily connected to the direction the wind is blowing. Winds from the southwest tie in perpendicular to the structure of the bridge and cause much more concern than winds from other directions.” 

But Lisa said she doesn’t think the official threshold for deciding on opening the draw spans was ever higher than 40 mph.

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The in basket: Ron Mumford of Hansville  said in an e-mail, “Kitsap Transit is implementing a Saturday service schedule for Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observation of Veteran’s Day. 

“Being a veteran myself, I appreciate the acknowledgment of my service to our country, but most companies do not observe Veteran’s Day as a non-working holiday. Kitsap Transit’s decision to use a Saturday service schedule leaves most commuters with no public transportation alternative during the commute hours on a regular work day. 

“I suggested that if the Bremerton shipyard is closed then perhaps curtailing service to that area might suffice.

The out basket: Ron also sent his complaint to the transit office, and three others did as well. All got the following response from Service Development Director John Clauson.

“The decision to reduce service on Veteran’s Day to the hours that are normally run on Saturday is due to the economy and the savings Kitsap Transit would experience, not only in direct service hours but in the underlying costs as well(maintenance, supervisors, etc.).

“In looking at ridership numbers for Veteran’s Day in particular, Kitsap Transit carried 8,834 people in 2008 on that day.  Ridership for a normal weekday in November was around 13,491.  As you can see, the ridership is 35 percent lower than a regular weekday.

 ”We then separated the morning commuter ridership numbers out, and they came to 1,491. Assuming that 100 percent of these riders returned in the evening, the commuter representation still amounts to only a little more than 33 percent of the day’s ridership.

“When Kitsap Transit staff approached the public with budget constraints and service reductions last winter, there were six holidays on the list for elimination -  Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, and Veteran’s Day.  

“Within that list there were ‘major’ and ‘minor’ holidays and the public encouraged us to run at least some level of service on the ‘major’ holidays.”   

Discussions at community meetings and transit board meetings in November and December led to board approval of retaining Saturday-level of service on Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, and Veteran’s Day, he said.

“I appreciate the fact that these are holidays that are not observed by everyone, and that there will be some needing to get to and from work,” John wrote. “I also recognize that, though lack of transit service would be an inconvenience, there typically would be parking available at ferry terminals, etc.  I apologize for this inconvenience.  

“Hopefully, as the economy begins to improve, we will be able to financially go back to a higher level of service on these days.  As it stands now, however, this is the level we are able to provide.”

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The in basket: The Road Warrior’s daughter, Beth Wahlbrink of South Kitsap, had some complaints about traffic control on Sedgwick Road while this summer’s improvement was under way. 

She said the barricade just east of Bethel Avenue that stopped traffic when Sedgwick was closed completely was set far enough back that a lot of drivers made the left turn from southbound Bethel only to have to find a way to get turned around and find another way. 

She also said there was no additional advisory about the closure at the easternmost access out of the Fred Meyer parking lot, leading her husband Mark to turn onto Sedgwick and run into flaggers sending him back the other way.

Dennis Baker raised a related issue, saying, “Another thing that really bothered me was the fact that the contractors often left up the ‘Detour Ahead’ signs when they left for the weekend. I never knew for sure if I was actually going to have to take a detour or not. It was a poorly managed project.”

The comments echoed ones from Shanon Koenen, who lives in the development directly across Sedgwick from Jackson Avenue, about confusion and contradictory instructions from flaggers on the project as she struggled in mid-July to reach her home despite the closures. Brenden Clarke, project engineer for state projects here, told me then he was personally going to the site to straighten out traffic control issues. 

I made no use of Shanon’s issue in my column then, but I asked Brenden now if traffic control on the Sedgwick job had been unsatisfactory.

The out basket: Not continually, Brandon said. “My staff and I have been closely monitoring the traffic control for the project. It did get off to a bit of a rough start but we think that, considering all the access points and construction activities, things are going reasonably well.  To address your daughter’s two points:

1.  We do not want the barricade at Bethel to be so close that it prevents access for people who want to access the businesses.

 2.  The flagging station is typically so close to the last access to Fred’s that it does not warrant additional signing, presuming that a person accessed Fred’s from SR 160.”  “Please be aware,” he added, ” that the use of the detour (allowed) the project to be completed this year.  Without it, construction would have resumed next spring and motorists would have had pavement patches to contend with over the winter along with temporary pavement markings. 

“”We recognize that local and ferry commute traffic has had to be patient and allow themselves extra time this summer, but I hope motorists agree that a major impact for a short time is better than a smaller impact over a longer period.  In addition, by completing the project this year motorist will be able to enjoy the added turn lanes and safer corridor sooner.”

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The out basket: The Road Warrior has been able to help two of my readers who were incorrectly ticketed by city police for infractions where the officer didn’t know the law. 

Both men had read in this column that they could legally do what they did, only to have officers unaware of the applicable law cite them. 

First came Nicholas Sveslosky, who was ticketed last spring by an officer in Lynnwood in Snohomish County for driving past a school bus that was facing in the opposite direction with its sign out and red lights flashing, with a turn lane between his car and the bus. 

Though even the state public instruction office issues literature saying no stop is required in that situation, he not only was stopped and cited, but convicted in municipal court. He e-mailed to ask me what I thought. 

Then Doug Lemon relied on my description of an odd law that permits a left turn against a red light if turning onto a one-way street, providing a full stop is made and no other traffic is imperiled. 

A Port Orchard officer ticketed him for running a red light after he did just that at the Sedgwick Road on-ramp to northbound Highway 16  on Oct. 22. 

Like Nicholas, Doug asked me where he’d gone wrong.

The out basket: I advised Nicholas to appeal to superior court, as the municipal judge’s ruling, that the middle turning lane was not a traffic lane because it is not a regular driving lane where cars move in a single file, was clearly in error.

“The prosecuting attorney for the city called me the week of the case to let me know that I was right, and that they were dropping their case,” Nicholas wrote me on Oct. 3.

‘The judge at the superior court court looked surprised that the city dropped the case,” he said. “Great vindication! I did not pay any of the $400 fine, and I received a full refund of my $240 appeal filing fee.”

It didn’t take Doug nearly as long. Port Orchard Police Commander Geoff Marti, when I asked him about the case, invited Doug to call him, and he personally arranged for dismissal of the ticket. 

Still, Doug said, ”I’m not sure if I have the confidence to practice this left turn on red again.” Which may be the sad lesson from these two cases. Even when a person is right and the officer is wrong, it can be quite a hassle and take months to prevail. 

Having a copy in one’s car of RCW 46.61.055, the red light law, and RCW 46.61.370, the school bus law, probably would be a good idea for those willing to do it.

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The in basket: Robert Pilger of Long Lake Road in South Kitsap e-mailed to say, “I have noticed road workers digging up the new pavement in several places along the Sedgwick Road project after recently striping. Why, and if (they are) fixing mistakes or oversights, who is responsible for the money?”

The out basket: It is common in paving jobs to pave over utility accesses and return to uncover them, build them up to the new pavement level and seal around the accesses. That is what is happening on Sedgwick Road, says Brenden Clarke, project engineer for state projects here.

Usually that occurs between the paving and the striping, but Brenden says, “We had the striping done before the adjustments were all complete to take advantage of favorable weather.  The way the forecast looks now, we would be striping next May if we had waited to put down pavement markings after the utility adjustments were all complete.  The impacts to pavement markings should be minimal. “

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The in basket: Traci Stevens of Seabeck writes, “Every day, I travel, as do many others, along Newberry Hill Road and past Klahowya (Secondary School’s) entrance to start and end the work day.

“This area, throughout the year, also includes bus loads of middle/high school children, teenage drivers, teachers, parents traveling to and leaving during the school day, as well as countless after school activities, a church with a sizable attendance, not to mention the residents of the neighborhood across the street from Klahowya’s entrance.  

“All of this activity in an area that handles significant amounts of traffic in either direction, turn lanes going into the school and into the neighborhood across the street, a merge lane and a 45 mph speed limit, which very few abide by. I’ve actually been passed in this area! 

“I also understand the consideration of the surrounding area (1,000 acres) to be possibly converted to a multi-use area known as Newberry Hill Heritage Park. 

“Today (Oct. 8), I learned of another significant traffic accident and I know of one additional accident that involved an acquaintance that totaled the car, I’m sure there have been countless others.

“I understand the county has been out to view the traffic flows; however, they come during the quiet times, after school is in session and most have begun the work day, which was a complete waste of time. What does it take to get authorities to pay attention to this area for consideration of a traffic signal?”

Traci’s friend, Holly Woomer, who was in that other accident that totaled her car when a speeding driver who said he was late for work didn’t see her in time, seconds Traci’s sentiments. She asks for a speed limit reduction if not a traffic signal. 

“Attempting to cross the crosswalk at the intersection is also very dangerous,” Holly said. “You basically have to be in the middle of the road before somebody will stop.” 

The out basket: Jeff Shea, Kitsap County traffic engineer, says better lighting at the intersection is the most they’ll do for now.

“We recently reviewed this location because the crosswalk seemed a little difficult to see in the dark,” he said. “We are considering the feasibility of installing an additional street light at the intersection to improve visibility at the crosswalk. This is the only improvement being considered there at this time.

 ”We do not plan to install a signal there any time in the foreseeable future,” he said. “It does not currently meet any of the (standards) used to determine if an intersection needs a  signal. 

“We will consider proposing an improvement project in next year’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), but I don’t think it will score as a high priority against the other county road projects on the TIP. TIP projects are ranked based on road preservation, safety, and capacity. 

“Compared to other intersections,” he said, “the accident history here would not merit many priority points, other than a couple for ‘potential’ safety points. “(Also) signals are rarely installed for safety reasons. (They) won’t always reduce accidents and sometimes actually increase some types of accidents, particularly rear–end collisions.

 ”Cost-benefit is another issue to consider with limited funding available for improvements,” he said. “Signals are very expensive ($300,000 – $500,000) to install. Outside of the short congested times mentioned by your reader there have not been any problems reported. If (an) improvement is needed for a short time during the day the cost would be very high with a relatively low benefit.

 ”Newberry Hill Road is an arterial road. The goal of an arterial road  is to safely move traffic from one place to another at higher speeds than local access or residential roads. 

“One of the main starting points for determining a posted speed limit,” h said, ” is the speed that captures a majority of the traffic, which we refer to as the 85 percentile speed for traffic on that road.” (Eighty-five percent of drivers who use the road in speed studies travel at or below that speed.)

“We also consider roadway geometrics, adjacent land use, collision records, pedestrian use, bicycles, and parking practices as part of setting speed limits.

“Current conditions on Newberry Hill Road show a very low accident rate and do not indicate a need to reduce the speed limit,” Jeff concluded.

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The in basket: Janet Brown wrote back in early September to say the traffic signal on Bethel Avenue allowing left turns into the South Kitsap Wal-Mart leaves something to be desired. 

“It needs a green arrow,” she said. “The left turn arrow never turns green and traffic is so heavy that you are stuck there for a couple of lights. People are running the red light to be able to turn.

The Road Warrior’s wife said she’s pretty sure the light had a protected green phase last Christmas.

The out basket: This is one of the many South Kitsap signals the county revised last year to provide a flashing yellow for left turns when on-coming traffic has a green light. The flashing yellow means the same thing as the signs that used to say turning left was legal on a green ball light but only after yielding to any oncoming traffic that is close. 

But most of them provide a protected green arrow signal right after the through lights turn green, offering a short time before the yellow flashing light takes over when left turners don’t have to worry about oncoming traffic because it has a red light. 

Doug Bear of Kitsap County Public Works says, “Your observation, and (your wife’s), is correct. There was, and should be, an initial protected green phase when a vehicle is detected waiting to turn. We are working to identify and correct the problem. Thanks for the heads up!”

That was on Sept. 18, and the problem remains. “There have been a few higher priority projects emerge,” Doug said Oct. 22. “We hope to get to that this week or next. We are hoping it is something easily remedied. If not, it could be a little longer before the work is done.”

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The in basket: Jim Baker writes, “Just wondering about a recently missing speed limit sign. 

“Northbound on Illahee Road just past the Brownsville Elementary School and Utah Street there used to be a sign restoring the speed limit to 35 mph from 25 mph. It went missing a week or so ago. It is still 35 mph on southbound Illahee from Brownsville Highway almost to Utah – if that’s 35, I can’t imagine that the limit northbound along there should be 25. Makes no sense.”

The out basket: Jeff Shea, Kitsap County traffic engineer says, “There should be a 35 mph sign in that area.” Since the question was posted on the Road Warrior blog at kitsapsun.com in late October, the county has replaced the missing one. 

Doug Bear, public spokesman for public works, adds, “With over 900 miles of county-maintained roads, our crews can’t be everywhere, We count on reports from residents like your reader. You can report missing signs by calling Kitsap 1 (360-337-5777, formerly called the county’s Open Line) or sending email to help@kitsap1.com.

“Reporting downed stop signs is critical,” he adds. “You can report them to Kitsap 1 during regular working hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 – 4:30.) After hours or on weekends report downed stop signs by calling 9-1-1. Report all other downed signs to Kitsap 1.”

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Central Valley pot holes

The in basket: Mitch Hailey of Bremerton e-mailed two weeks ago to protest the condition of Central Valley Road, including with his message several photographs of ruts and pot holes left by a sewer excavation between Alexis Drive and Holland Road. 

“While riding my motorcycle on this road and with no warning, I found myself having to dodge one danger after another and coming very close to dumping my bike,” Mitch said.

“Having just survived a crash where an irresponsible dog owner allowed their pet to play in the roadway unrestrained, I am very sensitive to preventable dangers placing others at risk.  Someone needs to be providing oversight of these construction projects for safety’s sake.”

The out basket:  Jacques Dean, Kitsap County’s project manager and the overseer of this county project by Buno Construction, said he sent the contractor copies of Mitch’s photos and ordered that more attention be paid the condition of the road after each day’s work.

The workers are to make a daily patch of the road they disturb that day, Jacques said, but weren’t taking enough time raking out the hot asphalt mix before it was rolled. Rain and traffic produced the conditions in Mitch’s photos.

The work the day after Mitch wrote was a lot better, Jacques said. 

Since then, two readers have disagreed. 

On Oct.27, Sheldon Cherrey wrote, “Well,  I traveled that road last night. The road is worse than the  

last time I drove it. Possibly due to the rain “

And Louis Oliver wrote Saturday to say he found “that a forest service road that has not seen a grader in over two years would be the smoother of the two. If it is the county that is doing the repairs after the pipe is replaced, the job should be out-sourced. If a contractor is doing the job, they should be fined and replaced. Then I wonder who should pay for my dental work? Yes, it is that bad.”

Tina Nelson of the county, filling in for Jacques, who was away from work last week, had this to say about the latest complaints:

“Last week the contractor was directed to spend more time (and money …) on maintaining the patch.  I drove it yesterday, and I thought it was an acceptable patch at the time. 

“The catch is that the patch is only temporary,” she said. “The same trench needs to be dug up again to install the new force main, starting the second week of November, over the gravity sewer that has already been installed.  It is our intent to keep the patch safe, but at the same time be cost conscious. 

“If travelers go slow, allow the extra few minutes, or use an alternate route, we will not be forced to spend additional precious dollars on a temporary patch.  

 ”Patience,” she urged. The final product, when the sewer installation is complete, will be like a brand new road surface.  Permanent restoration in Central Valley Road is currently scheduled to start in mid-December, which includes final asphalt paving.  Asphalt paving, of course, is weather dependent.”   

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