The in basket: Carole Patterson and Ann Emel think the county chose the wrong place for the temporary stop light in Silverdale during the Bucklin Hill Road closure.
“Kitsap County has installed new stop lights at the wrong intersection of Levin and Ridgetop,” Carole said. “The traffic backup is at Blaine and Ridgetop. At 6 p.m. today there were nine cars waiting on Blaine to turn right onto Ridgetop. Is their a logical explanation?”
Ann wrote, “I remember when I first read in the Kitsap Sun that a traffic light was going to be
installed at Levin and Ridgetop, my first thought was it just couldn’t be. Levin would become a dead-end road and Blaine, which runs behind Safeway, would remain a through street linking Bucklin and Ridgetop.
“I still don’t see the why of the light at Levin when I see very, very few cars waiting there to enter onto Ridgetop and most often six to eight cars lined up on Blaine to do the same thing.
“Since the light at Levin is now 30 days past predicted install, why couldn’t that idea be scrapped and a new light put in at Blaine where it would serve more cars?
The out basket: Tina Nelson, senior program manager for Kitsap County Public Works, says, “The traffic study that was completed for the Bucklin Hill bridge project did not indicate that a signal at Levin and Ridgetop would be beneficial during the closure. The close proximity to the signal at Mickelberry would make timing coordination difficult, if even possible.
(But) at public meetings the concern was raised and we re-visited the situation. There are several businesses off of Levin and getting in and out of Levin could become a challenge. Therefore we decided on the temporary signal. We did review putting one at Blaine, but that is not access to as many businesses, and having one at each would not work, so there was the decision to add it at Levin.
“Signal equipment has very long lead time and delivery timing is not predictable. (That’s) not unique to us, (it’s the) same across the state and the country. You may recall the delay in getting the signal running at Ridgetop and SR 303.
“We knew that it was unreasonable to require that the signal be operational by July 1, but we needed to close the road at that time to move the project forward, working with fish windows etc.
“We required that the signal be operational by Aug. 14 in the contract. Initially we thought that we would have it operational by mid-July, but delivery was delayed, and now it is finally up and running.”
Dumb. That’s all that can be said about this decision. Levin road has multiple exit points onto Mickleberry, as well as the north end at Ridgetop. Why local public works officials didn’t realize that the majority of traffic from Levin would enter/exit through parking lots off of Mickleberry is incomprehensible. Everyone who drives this area, even occasionally, knew that is what would happen. Just as we all knew that Blaine would become a major detour route between Bucklin Hill and Ridgetop. And that’s exactly what has happened.
I was stuck on Blaine the other day in a backup that stretch to the entrance to the Safeway shopping center. But yet we have a light at Levin to allow one or two cars to turn left.
If Ms. Nelson and others at Kitsap Public Works can’t understand such basic traffic behaviors, maybe it’s time they hired traffic engineers who are better qualified.
I’m with the other poster! It’s the most ridiculous place for a traffic signal I’ve ever seen! Levin should be a right turn only! This is a total waste of money and time to have placed them in an area where people can exit through any number of businesses going out to the main traffic signals on Mickleberry. It will accomplish NOTHING!! You watch!! Our tax payer monies will pay to correct them in a short amount of time!! Wow! The holidays are just right around the corner and quickly approaching…tsk, tsk!!!
Yeah, pretty dumb light.
Also, taking out the crossing signal before you install the light creates a very dangerous situation. I’m an adult and know that cars don’t stop for pedestrians, but I’d never want my children to cross that street.
I agree, that Blaine is the smartest place to put it, except for the fact that it is so close to Silverdale way that the traffic will get backed up at that intersection because those making the left turn will keep going even though traffic has stopped and then they are stuck in the intersection on a red light while other drivers cant go because those idiots who actually want to go up Ridgetop way instead of finding a different route. Which is probably one of the reasons that it is on Levin. I would say that 90% of those who are driving in that area is actually just trying to drive through and not going to any businesses anywhere in that area. And even if they wanted to drive all the way up Ridgetop can sometimes make it faster there by going out to 303 and exiting off on Ridgetop and to anywhere in Central Valley. Why deal with the traffic and the frustration when a different route makes life easier. But I also agree that most people going to the businesses off Levin actually make it there faster by going the back way off Mickleberry. But you will always have those who in their twisted mind thinks its rude to cut through a business parking lot to go to another business so they will clog up the main route. When most of those who work off Levin are already or have always drove in the back way. But I will admit that even before construction started, it has always been a pain in the Butt to make a left turn off Levin. So for the longest time I have started taken the long way around Ridgetop off Levin and have gotten to my destination faster. Problem around here is that most drivers here cant seem to think outside the box to make driving around here easier. Drive safe