The in basket: I noticed the other day as I drove Northlake Way on my way to the Seabeck area that there is only one long straight stretch between Kitsap Way and the top of the serpentine hill that leads past the Mountaineers’ Forest theater where you might dare to pass another vehicle. But it’s striped as a no-passing zone, with double yellow lines on the straight stretch between Lebers Lane and the auto repair shop in the triangle where Seabeck Highway begins.
I’ve heard a number of complaints, probably from residents there, about speeding traffic, but no one has ever written me about the inability to pass despite no visibility issues.
I asked why it’s a no-passing zone.
The out basket: Jeff Shea, Kitsap County’s traffic engineer, tells me, “The Northlake Way striping was done in error. The striping crew inadvertently left the solid line paint guns on through the entire corridor.
“To correct this error would require several days of grinding the existing paint off and repainting the centerline. For such a short section of roadway we made the decision to leave the current line as it is. When the road receives a surface treatment such as a complete overlay, the centerline configuration will be reevaluated.”
I doubt that that explanation would cut much ice with an officer who saw a person pass there and stopped the driver for improper passing.
No asphalt overlay is scheduled for the forseeable future.
Well Mr Jeff Shea should really do some research on striping. I work on I-5 by the Dome and let me tell what I have seen an entire 4 lanes with an exit restriped in one night. That includes the removal of the old stripes. There is no grinding involved. They use a machine attached to a truck that uses water pressure to remove the old stripes. Then the stripe truck follows up with striping.
I think the main reason for the county leaving the mistake striping is the fact that it is a revenue maker. Drivers will keep passing in that spot because they get behind some yahoo who likes to drive slower than the speed limit, because in their mind that is their road and no one is going to drive fast on my road and the cops know this so they will sit out there and just wait for someone to make an illegal pass. The last time I went out that way, I got stuck behind someone doing almost 10 mph under the speed limit, and they actually waved at me after they brake checked me. I have to say that I waved back when I made the illegal pass, but to me passing was in my mind better than being behind a driver that was creating a very hazardous situation with the slow down brake checks. I took a chance to get around and made it. They really need to take a day and fix the striping on that road.
The problem is too many reckless drivers speeding and passing in a neighborhood with about 70 driveways. There is a sight problem at Taylor Road with traffic coming from Leber Lane. Taylor Rd. is in a low spot next to the bridge that crosses Chico Creek and it is difficult to see a car at that intersection pulling onto Northlake Way. In 1920 there might not have been a “sight” problem since most automobiles were high off the ground and you could see more.
The double yellow line is for the safety of the Northlake Way neighborhood and the public. If you don’t like driving safely through our neighborhood, please use another route that let’s you drive like a “bat out of hell”.