Road Warrior

The in basket: Leroy McVay of Poulsbo writes, “Washington State Ferries provide six cameras showing traffic line-ups for the Edmonds ferry.  They provide four cameras for Kingston but only one for the Bainbridge ferry.  When our family comes over, we can check the Kingston ferry backup but we can’t check the line for Bainbridge. 
“Is there a valid reason they don’t provide cameras for the Bainbridge ferry backup?” he asks.

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The in basket: I was motoring along Highway 16 in Gig Harbor recently when I noticed a State Patrol speed enforcement going on across the median,
“Hey,” said my wife, The Judybaker, “that young officer just got out of his car without his hat on. That’s against regulations.”
I asked WSP Lt. Ken Noland if she was correct.

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The in basket: James Cardwell thinks it would be helpful if the state erased enough of the white edge line on westbound Sedgwick Road at the on-ramp to go toward Gorst on Highway 16 that the drivers who now cross it illegally to get past cars waiting at the red light could do it legally. Hundreds of cars do cross the line to make that turn every day, but their drivers risk a ticket when they do it.

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The in basket: Ryan Rees of Mile Hill Drive in South Kitsap said a State Patrol trooper appeared to be conducting a speed enforcement on that county road on Oct. 9. The officer stopped at least three cars near the Woods Road intersection, Ryan said. He wondered why they’d be doing that other than on a state highway.

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The in basket: Three people – Brian Muhleman, Jen Degnan and Margaret Lentz – have asked whether the school zones speed signs limiting enforcement to certain hours, which replaced many of the “when children are present” signs last school year, are in effect during the summer, or on weekends and holidays, for that matter.
Jen adds, “What about other schools that still have the “When children are present” signs? Even though school is not in session, if there are children playing…I assume we still slow down….correct?”

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The in basket: Shortly after a fatal pedestrian accident where Blaine Avenue intersects Bucklin Hill Road in Silverdale, Bob Hoag suggested that the line separating the two westbound lanes there should be extended east of the intersection. If it was, cars waiting on Blaine to turn right can see if an approaching car from the east is changing lanes, he argued.

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The in basket: Greg Tyree thinks traffic through Belfair and Allyn has increased due to the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the $3 toll.
“Many people from the counties north of Mason have started using this route if they are heading south to Olympia, Portland etc.,” Greg wrote. “The travel time from Gorst to Olympia is close to the same if you go through Tacoma or through Belfair/Shelton, only minus the $3 toll.”

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The in basket: Greg Iverson of Manchester writes, “Last time I approached the new Tacoma Narrows bridge the initial sign about the Good To Go! lanes said to use the two left lanes. Since the extreme left lane is a HOV lane I wrongly assumed it was one of the two lanes being referred to. Actually if one counts the HOV lane, three lanes are GoodToGo lanes. , I unnecessarily moved left.”

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The in basket: Greg Tyree writes, “Part of the holdup on the Belfair bypass is where to put an access road to Belfair from the bypass, and my question/concern is why have one, especially at $10 million-plus. I feel access to Belfair could be served by the existing routes currently in place. Use the millions proposed  for an access road to lower the total cost.”

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The in basket: Keith Van Hook writes, “On the northbound side of Ridgetop Boulevard in Silverdale, at the intersection with Avanti Drive, there is a stop sign that has been there since Ridgetop was a dirt road (around 1983). This stop sign seems to be inappropriately placed and serves no purpose other than to impede the northbound through traffic on Ridgetop, while allowing a free left turn for southbound traffic from Ridgetop onto Avanti. Avanti is a side street with its own stop sign onto Ridgetop.
“The crosswalk and Kitsap Transit bus stop are a block further north with no stop sign,” Keith said. “One does not seem necessary there. Why is the stop sign still in place?”

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