The in basket: Robin Henderson, a Manette resident, suggests some modifications to traffic flow in Manette to allow traffic to get through faster once the new Manette Bridge is finished and a roundabout is built on that end in place of the existing intersection.
“A lot of traffic across the bridge heads east up 11th to either Trenton or Perry,” he said. “Many folks headed to Brownsville or even Keyport use this route to avoid traffic.
With Shore Drive closed, “folks will have to go up Harkins to Pitt then down Pitt to 11th with two stop signs to negotiate. I suggested removing those two stop signs so that traffic can continue to flow uninterrupted to Trenton,” he said.
Shore Drive, which already is blocked, will remain closed to traffic coming off bridge because it is too steep to be served by the roundabout, eliminating the route taken previously by most traffic wanting to head out East 11th.
The existing stop signs would be repositioned to stop traffic on southbound Pitt and eastbound East 11th under his plan.
“I have already shared my ideas with (City Councilman) Adam Brockus, and I sent a link to this article to Jeff Cook, the states project engineer. I was just wondering if you had any thoughts on the issue? Do you ever drive through Manette?””
The out basket: I used to take this route weekly to reach a pickleball game in Illahee, until I decided it was just as fast and involved a lot less stopping and starting to go up around Dyes Inlet via Silverdale and double back.
Jeff Cook tells me he met Sept. 29 with Bremerton street officials and said they agreed to give Robin’s idea consideration. Having traffic proceeding through 90-degree turns without stopping raises some safety issues, and that could lead to thoughts of widening the turn radii, which might lead to right of way issues.
It’s one of two things bridge planners are being urged to change from current plans, he said. The other involves the designated detour through Manette to link East 11th and and Wheaton Way during next year’s four month closure of the existing bridge to complete the new one and the roundabout.
They are weighing objections to the designated detour, via Pitt and 14th Street, which some residents oppose, against an alternative, using Perry Avenue and 18th Street, which some Manette businesses fear will cost them most of their customers, he said.
In each case, “we want the most amount of people to be happy with what we do,” Jeff said.
Adam Brockus is holding his monthy meeting with district 3 constituents at the Senior Center on Tuesday 10/5 at 6:30. This issue will be on the agenda…
Thanks for the nice article Travis!
Travis, try driving the proposed route through residential streets. Residents given zero notice. Speeds and volumes have already picked up significantly with the 24 hour plus bridge closures. We have recently been thrown proposals such as making streets one-way (sure fire way to increase speeds and collision rates) and paint pedestrian paths and bike lanes on these narrow residential streets. A total waste of limited tax dollars.
I agree Jane, will you be at the meeting on Tuesday? I would enjoy meeting you face to face.
Robin
No Robin, I have to work on Tuesday. Local residents and local businesses having to adjust to poor decisions such as installing a round about and detours that on residential streets will try to work out a solution that we can live with and leave the politicians out of it. It is interesting how WSDOT and the city via Travis are attempting to frame this issue as local residents vs businesses. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Frankly Robin I have no desire to meet you face to face. Your reporting me to the police for a non crime and calling and harassing my husband certainly does not open up any door of communication.
Blah Blah Blah, PLONK!