Accident outbreak and speed limit in Gorst
The in basket: There was another accident on westbound Highway 16 approaching Gorst Monday, Tuesday’s paper tells us, It brings to mind the November admonition from the State Patrol for drivers to be careful there after seven fender benders had occurred there in just a week.
The state raised the speed limit from 50 to 60 mph there and in the opposite direction on Highway 16 in 2007. I was surprised then that the westbound lanes had the limit increased, and that the eastbound 60 mph zone was changed to begin back in Gorst, rather than past Anderson Hill Road, which I’d understood to be the original intent.
Bill Alvis of Gorst agrees, especially about the eastbound change, noting that traffic engages in what’s called a “weave” there, with many drivers entering from the direction of Belfair wanting to move over to go to Port Orchard and many of those in the inside lane wanting to go to Tacoma also having to move over.
I asked Traffic Operations Engineer Steve Bennett of the state’s Olympic Region if there had been any rethinking of the speed limit increase.
The out basket: Steve said his office had looked at the accident history in the area. “We looked at collisions from August of 2003 to August of this year. August was chosen as that is the last month in which we have complete data for this year.
“The recent collisions you mention are not yet in the State Patrol collision database so are not shown below.”
He said the August to August collision figures for the one-mile stretch of westbound SR 16 east of Gorst, showed:.
- 21 in ‘03-’04
- 20 in ‘04-’05
- 27 in ‘05-’06
- 17 in ‘06-’07
- 16 in ‘07-’08
The speed limit in the westbound direction was changed in August of 2007. “So, for the year following the change and a year after the change, we actually saw fewer collisions than we have in the past few years,” Steve said.
“I can’t explain the rash of collisions seen (this fall),” he continued, “but we will monitor the area and make changes as needed. I would be surprised to see that spike in collisions continue.
“Strangely, it appears we had almost the opposite pattern eastbound, heading away from Gorst,” he said. Those figures:
- 5 in ‘03-’04
- 3 in ‘04-’05
- 3 in ‘05-’06
- 11 in ‘06-’07
- 10 in ‘07-’08
The speed limit in the eastbound direction also was changed in August of 2007, so accidents dropped slightly after the change but remained quite a bit higher than two to four years earlier.
“Again, we will monitor this area and make changes as needed,” he said.
Tags: Gorst, Highway 16, speed limit, weave
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
January 13th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
There is a weave going Eastbound out of Gorst, especially for drivers on SR3 trying to get to Port Orchard who must merge onto 16 and move an additional two lanes to the left, but the speed limit does not change to 60mph until AFTER the weave. Drivers ought to have made their lane changes by the time the limit is raised. Drivers coming out of Bremerton ought to be in the correct lane to move on to Port Orchard or stay on 16 well before the weave commences. Of course, some drivers don’t pay attention and make the change at the last possible second.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Michael hit most of what I was going to say. I think most of the accidents are occurring in the 40 mph zone. It’ important not to mix the two up when trying to make some determination from statistics.
To me, the faster zone exiting Gorst clears up the congestion quicker, not increases it.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I have to disagree w/Michael re Eastbound. I have tried staying in the left lane going around this corner when heading towards Port Orchard and drivers behind me are VERY IMPATIENT because I am going the 40 mph speed limit and many of them are already ramping up to (or are already driving at) the upcoming 60 mph one; some of these drivers are already going 50 to 60 mph right after the curve where SR 3 goes towards Belfair.
Because I am one of the few who appear to try to follow the speed limit, I stay in the right lane at the second curve and then make my way over to the left lane after the 60 mph limit goes into effect.
Re WESTBOUND, when leaving Port Orchard, right where the 16 merges to the 3, it is a huge HAZARD trying to stay at the 45 mph speed limit while being in the left lane. I can’t help being in this lane because it’s automatic when getting out of Port Orchard, but NOBODY from 16 follows the 45 mph speed limit. I attempt to safely move to the next right lane ASAP but because that lane becomes a merge lane very soon, it is dangerous to get over there. Someone needs to look at what is happening in this area because it is so dangerous and scary to follow the speed limit there if you are in the left lane coming from Port Orchard. What speed limit do those coming from 16 think it is in that area? Are they warned enough to slow down before getting to this merge point? Something is wrong…