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.

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.”

The in basket: Harry Godwin of Bremerton commented on the September Road Warrior about why the traffic signal at Highway 308 at Central Valley Road had been blinking red and yellow.

“The answer was that a new switch was required

for this intersection (and) that this could be a funding

problem as replacement of the switch was not in the budget,” Harry recalled.

“Just a short distance from this intersection is an inactive traffic signal

that once controlled traffic in and out of a side gate to (the) Keyport

naval base. The gate is closed and barricaded, indicating that in the post-911 years, the gate will never be used as a point of egress to the base

again.”

 Harry suggested the state use that light and/or its controls at 308 and Central Valley.

The out basket: Actually, says Don Anders of the Olympic Region signal shop, that answer was that “we may have to replace this unit, but our crew was able to make repairs and the cabinet has not been in flash since these repairs were made. 

“I also mentioned that the cost of a replacement was prohibitive at this time, but if we could come up with a good reliable used unit we would replace this unit.  

“I know that early next year we have a project on SR 161(in Pierce County) that will free up a cabinet that we can use at this location,” he said.  

“The cabinet that Harry points out belongs to the Department of the Navy and is not ours to use, and I know from past practice that the military does not give up inventory easily.”  

 “We have not had any problems since the repair was made and I feel we can get by until next year when we can replace the cabinet.” 

The in basket: Jo Ann Ambur writes, “A few weeks ago a road above ours was repaved (on Ioka Drive out of Silverdale) and the work crew and all their warning signs are long gone. The problem is they did not smooth the transition from that part of the county road onto Ioka Way, which is also a county road.

“We are left with a drop of a few inches onto our road. How do we get that problem solved?”

The out basket: The reason for this problem is the same as for earlier ones about which the Road Warrior was asked this year, including a similar bump on Vena Avenue at Central Valley Road, shoulder drop-offs at a repaved stretch of Ogle Road near Brownsville and the restriping of white lines but not yellow ones on some Central Kitsap roads. The county stages its work to do one thing at a time for efficiency, then returns to do finish work. If the Ioka bump hasn’t been corrected, it soon will be. 

“Approach work is always completed after the paving,” says Doug Bear of Kitsap County Public Works. “As always this type of work depends on weather, equipment and staff availability. We are aware of the work needed there and will get it completed soon.”

The in basket: Gale Brown has a different take on the situation on Washington Avenue in Bremerton heading south, where two lanes of traffic must merge very quickly into one just south of Sixth Street. Gale says, “I would like to see the outside lane of southbound Washington at Sixth be changed to a right-turn only.

“This would improve traffic flow on to Sixth for those heading for the ferry,” he said, “and would eliminate the frustrations often caused by the forced merge immediately south of the intersection.”

The out basket: It could happen. Larry Matel of the city street engineers says, “The public works department is planning on doing a traffic circulation plan for the downtown area in 2010.  “This will look at operational changes on the street system that are now possible because of the traffic changes created by the opening of the tunnel. We have had other requests for changes and instead of doing them ‘piece meal’, and then only having to do them over again as a result of another issue that might need addressing, we have decided to look at the big picture and then make changes.”

The in basket:  Peggy and Pat Tillery send an e-mail about a sign on westbound Highway 303 approaching the new urban interchange with Highway 3 in Silverdale, asking “Why is there a yellow 10 mph sign approaching the on-ramp when coming from Waaga Way, where you slow down to 35 and then get ready to head north on Highway 3 at that horrible interchange in Silverdale? 

“The on-ramp heading north on Highway 3 from that point,” their e-mail said, ” is tricky enough without having to slow down to 10 mph only to have to pick up speed to hit Highway 3 going north. Did they just forget to remove the sign when they constructed that area?”

The out basket: No, that is an advisory sign, suggesting a safe speed for making the turn onto the northbound on-ramp to Highway 3. It is not mandatory, as a black on white speed limit sign would be. It apparently anticipates a tall unstable vehicle that might tip over going faster than that. 

In a passenger car, I’ve found that going 10 miles per hour faster than any advisory speed sign I’ve ever encountered will get you through the turn or whatever the obstacle is safely. The 10 mph sign is an excess of caution that drivers of small vehicles normally can disregard.

But even if you choose to drop to 10 mph there, there’s lots of room on the on-ramp to get up to 60 mph for freeway driving, if your car is operating properly.