The in basket: I notice that the traffic signal being added at Ridgetop Boulevard and Highway 303 in Silverdale still isn’t progressing, though the last I heard was that delivery of the poles would be in December and the finish work would take only a few days. Kitsap County’s Road Report says the completion now is expected in late February or March.
I asked what had changed.
The out basket: The poles did arrive in December, but state approval for other equipment now is being awaited.
When a county works on a state highway, it has to get state sign-off on the specifics.
Jacques Dean, construction manager for the county says, “The problem now lies with the service cabinet. Since we are working in partnership with the State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) on this project, documentation for materials that are to be incorporated into the project must be reviewed and approved by WSDOT in advance. Review and approval of service cab docs was held up in the WSDOT review process until November.
“The contractor ordered the cabinet immediately upon receiving approval from the state. The contractor expects delivery of the cabinet within two weeks, then sends the cabinet to WSDOT for set up and testing, which is anticipated to take another couple of weeks.
“This puts us in to mid- to late February. It will then take the contractor a week or so to install the poles, cabinet and hardware.”
While I’m sure having the signal in operation will be a big relief for those who must turn left from the off-ramp to eastbound Ridgetop, late winter completion will come before closure of Bucklin Hill Road for major construction work there, due until June. That closure of a major Silverdale thoroughfare was the impetus for the county to take over the signal project, which could have been years away if left in state hands.
The county road report adds this about the project: “All paint markings, including the crosswalk across Ridgetop Boulevard, will be completed after the signal is operational. Until that work is completed pedestrians should use marked crossings at other intersection locations.”
Travis, do you know where I can find any more information regarding this project, specifically a map of lanes and their signals? It doesn’t seem like this is going to be a big improvement for right hand turns onto westbound Ridgetop.
I routinely exit from southbound 303 to westbound Ridgetop, and almost always get stuck behind someone who is stopped, blocking the lane while waiting for traffic to clear so that they can jump lanes on Ridgetop to turn left onto Sid Uhnick.
It appears that even with the installation of signals, the right hand turn lane from the exit ramp will continue to enter it’s own lane on Ridgetop, and isn’t going to be signalled. How is this going to help exiting traffic onto wetbound Ridgetop? It seems to me that even with the lights I’ll still be waiting for cars who are trying to jump over to Sid Uhnick rather than travel westbound. Is this correct?
I have been asking this question for years. The turn onto Sid Uhnick is an illegal left turn, and many people stop in that lane to make the illegal turn.
What’s absolutely maddening is that the exit lane to westbound Ridgetop is it’s own lane – there is no yield, stop, or other control. It’s specifically separated to ensure through traffic does not merge with the left hand lane of Ridgetop. The distance between the offramp and Sid Uhnick is too short for even the necessary turn signal requirement (100 feet per lane, per change of lane – and this requires 2 changes of lanes).
This design is reckless and anyone who gets injured as a result of someone stopping to change lanes to get onto Sid Uhnick should probably sue the County and State for not putting up those flexible sticks to divide the lanes to prevent this known problem of illegal turns onto Sid Uhnick from the offramp, westbound turn lane.
Unfortunately, it will take a lawsuit before the County/State fixes this obviously reckless design for which they have notice that its being used to allow illegal turns.
I agree that people jumping from the 303 offramp into the Ridgetop left turn lane at Sid Uhnick is part of the problem, but what makes it illegal? They don’t have to cross a double yellow line and there is a dedicated left turn lane. At least they widened the right turn lane that merges onto Ridgetop. They should put up a “Free Right Turn” sign since a lot of people look left and wait, even though they have their own dedicated lane to turn into.
I try to avoid Silverdale way now the road is bad. Why is it when contractors come in to repair or install something they leave a big mess (ie roads)? Don’t we put it in the contract to leave the area in the same condition or better after the project is complete.
More excuses than actual results. Pay fines if your taxes aren’t paid on time, but no penalty for slap shoddy management of that tax money.