The in basket: Jeff Hill e-mails to say, “Traveling north over the Warren Avenue Bridge (in Bremerton), it isn’t real clear
where the speed limit changes from 35 to 30. There is a reduced speed ahead sign near the top of the bridge, but no actual speed limit sign until after Sheridan Road. There is a light pole near where the Callahan ramp merges with Warren that has empty sign brackets.
“Since Bremerton PD and WSP heavily patrol this area at night, I would like to know when I need to slow down,” Jeff said.
The out basket: I guessed there is a sign missing, since the speed limit in the southbound direction changes from 30 to 35 mph at the beginning of the bridge, and I thought that’s probably where it changes northbound. But I guessed wrong.
The 35 mph zone that begins at the south end of the bridge for northbound traffic continues all the way past Sheridan, city street engineer Gunnar Fridriksson says. If there’s a speed limit sign near Albertson’s on the other side of Sheridan, that’s where the speed limit changes.
It’s one of the rare places the speed limit in one direction of a highway is different than in the other direction. (Highway 3 between Highway 304 and Kitsap Way is another.)
Gunnar says the southbound speed limit is lower because of the short tapered merge for traffic coming on from Callahan Drive.
“I would suggest your reader consider the 35 mph
zone for northbound from the south end of the bridge to Sheridan Road,” he said.
“As far as the empty sign brackets by the Callahan ramp,” he said, “I believe those
are to a directional sign which broke a post.” It’s awaiting replacement.
Maybe Jeff could not see the sign of 30 MPH posted on 303 just North of the Bridge because it displayed high into the trees where it is impossible to see until you are right beside it. Maybe the city could use some of the ‘workers’ not busy on other projects and move them to trim the trees so the speed limit signs would be visible.