The in basket: Ernest Behrle says “For quite a while I’ve
noticed a problem at the intersection of Bond Road and Highway 305.
Drivers coming off of Highway 3,
unfamiliar with the intersection and wanting to go straight on
through or to
Kingston don’t realize they need to be in the center lane. They
don’t
realize that the right-hand lane is not a through lane but right
turn only
until they’re almost at the intersection. They then suddenly pull
into the
center lane and can cause an accident by the sudden and desperate
lane
changes.
The in basket: Ernest Behrle says “For quite a while I’ve noticed a
problem at the intersection of Bond Road and Highway 305. Drivers
coming off of Highway 3,
unfamiliar with the intersection and wanting to go straight on
through or to
Kingston don’t realize they need to be in the center lane. They
don’t
realize that the right-hand lane is not a through lane but right
turn only
until they’re almost at the intersection. They then suddenly pull
into the
center lane and can cause an accident by the sudden and desperate
lane
changes.
“There is a sign indicating the right lane is right turn only
but
it’s too close to the intersection. The sign needs to be moved
or
a second sign added much farther west towards Highway 3 so that
drivers
have more time to get into the center lane. I think the
best and least expensive is to add the second sign rather than
moving the
signs,” Ernest concluded.
The out basket: The state disagrees. “After reviewing the area and
looking into the possibility of moving one of the three signs
further back,” says Lisa Murdock of the Olympic Region. “we found
three ‘ Right Lane Must Turn Right ‘ signs to be in the best
locations at this time.
“However, this location will change in the next construction
contract ‘Hostmark to Bond Road.’ Once the new HOV lanes are
constructed south of the intersection, the highway will be
re-striped and new signs installed. The existing right lane will
become a through lane and striped as such. The extra pavement to
the right will be signed and striped to create a new right-turn
lane.
“This new configuration matches typical user expectation and should
eliminate the confusion in the future. She recommended an online
visit to the project Web site at
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR305/PoulsboSouthtoBondRd to learn
more.
Taking the confusion out of the 3-305-Bond road mess is as simple as
painting the left lane as the left turn only lane and the right lane as
the through lane, adding the right turn only lane close to Bond Road.
One man w/paint and brush could realign the lanes and paint some
directional arrows in each lane and voila.!! No more roadracers passing
on the right and crowding back into the through lane at the last minute.
The left turners are lined up in an orderly manner all the way to highway
3 (sometimes it is that bad) if
necessary and so are the throughs. What few right turners there are are
easily accommodated and are no
hinderance to anyone. END OF CONFUSION
I travel the 305 on a daily basis. What I find is that the drivers that seemed “confused” are not. They are simply trying to get ahead of everyone else befor the intersection. It is the same “me first” attitude that the same “confused” moterists use at the 305 to 3 on-ramp. I use due diligence and drive the speed limit, mind my place in line…and WATCH-EM!