The in basket: Two readers, Alison Loris and Jim Fornes, protested the absence of adequate warning of two speed limit changes several months ago, one on Highway 304 entering Bremerton and the other on Highway 303 (Waaga Way) south of Brownsville Highway.
Alison noted last summer that the expected notice of an upcoming speed reduction as one approached the 30 mph zone that begins at Charleston Beach Road and stretches to First Street on 304 was missing. She also mentioned the dense foliage on the trees along the shoulder that obscured the 30 mph size until a driver was almost right beside it.
Not many people go less than 40 through there, but if one got stopped for exceeding 30, he or she would have had a pretty good excuse, I’d think.
Jim said drivers entering Highway 303 from Brownsville Highway to go toward Bremerton, unaware that the state had just reduced the speed limit from there to Fairgrounds Road from 50 to 45 mph, wouldn’t have any way of learning about it as they proceeded.
There was a speed reduction ahead sign there, but both it and the 45 mph sign were posted before one got to Brownsville Highway. Anyone turning left onto 303 there wouldn’t see them.
I recognize that there are hundreds of opportunities to enter from driveways and businesses onto highways and roads where a driver would have to travel quite a ways before seeing a speed limit sign. But one with enough traffic to warrant a traffic signal, as Brownsville Highway does, probably should deserve quick notice of the speed limit.
The out basket: For some reason, it took me a long time and a reminder call from Jim before I got comment from the state. In the meantime, either the city of Bremerton had trimmed the foliage obscuring the 30 mph sign or nature did it for them by removing the leaves for the winter. We’ll know when the trees leaf out again.
And a speed reduction sign warning of the reduction to 30 mph appeared on the shoulder in 304’s 45 mph zone a few weeks ago.
On 303, Claudia Bingham Baker of the state highway’s Olympic Region says she’s been told a 45 mph speed limit sign on southbound 303 south of Brownsville Highway will be installed within the next two weeks.
Ah Bremerton. According to the city, the trees on Fourth Street were overgrown and unsightly. Those trees made the area scary after dark, and discouraged people from shopping at local businesses. But in a high traffic area, the city can never seem to get on top of poor infrastructure and obscured signage. How many city employees drive that route each and every day? Got money, or bending people over to fund a POF at $7,200 per crossing, but NO money to trim trees obscuring road signs…. Feitlebaum…..
12:00am on a Tuesday, and the street racing of Bremerton drunks passing through the Fairgrounds area has started again. Why do we have to start with speed bumps? Let’s try impounding vehicles!!