The in basket: Peggy Roney is the latest to ask about the
misleading sign along Highway 3 as one heads south approaching
Silverdale, reading “East Bremerton” then “Exit Only.”
“The signs are confusing!” she says. “I would figure that (the
first one) would mean that there is a mysterious Silverdale exit
somewhere else. Then, at the last minute, there is a sign that lets
you know that this is where you must exit to go to East Bremerton
AND Silverdale!!
“I know people that have come from out of town and found this same
confusing problem,” she said. “Are they going to fix the exit
signs?”
The in basket: For years, a confusing sign on southbound Highway 3
approaching Silverdale existed without anyone commenting to the
Road Warrior, presumably because local people who see the column
knew where they were going and didn’t even notice the sign.
Then the state opened the new off-ramp serving that traffic and
suddenly the sign got noticed by nearly everyone. It reads “East
Bremerton” then below that “Exit Only.”
Technically, it’s correct, but not as helpful as it should be. The
lane IS only an exit from the freeway and it does lead to East
Bremerton. But it also leads to Silverdale, which isn’t made clear
for another few hundred feet by a second sign.
Peggy Roney is the latest to wonder why the first sign omits
mention of Silverdale.
“The signs are confusing!” she says. “I would figure that (the
first one) would mean that there is a mysterious Silverdale exit
somewhere else. Then, at the last minute, there is a sign that
lets you know that this is where you must exit to go to East
Bremerton AND Silverdale!!
“I had to go to Newberry Hill because there wasn’t enough warning
and the line would not allow me to merge in at such short notice,”
Peggy said. She’s not the first to describe an unneeded trip down
to the next exit and having to double back because the sign didn’t
make the exit’s purpose clear.
“I know people that have come from out of town and found this same
confusing problem,” she said. “Are they going to fix the exit
signs?”
The out basket: Yes, says Brenden Clarke, the project engineer who
has had to field the many complaints about the new Highway 3-303
interchange, including about the sign.
“We also have received comments regarding this signing,” he said.
“It is being addressed by adding ‘Silverdale’ to the first sign,
but because it is a large … sign, it is taking some time to
fabricate and mount.” The sign, though on the shoulder, has to be
reached by a bucket truck to be changed, he said.
