At Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent singled out deviant motorists who pass other cars on Manette Bridge. She said her office has received some complaints about the passers, mainly those who speed around other drivers heading toward downtown, just past the roundabout.
The mayor invited Steve Strachan, Bremerton police chief, before the Council to address the issue. He said police would be vigilant about looking out for passers, and indicated that motorists face a minimum $124 fine for doing it.
“Well be keeping our eye out,” Strachan said.
I had not heard of these violators but those of us that live in Bremerton are used to seeing aggressive driving. Similarly, concerns have been raised about pedestrians crossing the road at the base of the bridge near the roundabout, a problem summed up recently by the Road Warrior, Travis Baker.
In one more related note: following the mayor’s report, Vern LaPrath, an East Bremerton resident, reminded the Council Wednesday night that he’s still waiting for speed humps on Hanford Avenue. He’s been advocating for them for longer than a decade. And on Wednesday night, it wasn’t just LaPrath, but two other Hanford Avenue residents, that desired to have them.
“It’s not just the cranky old man on Hanford Avenue,” LaPrath said.
City Councilman Dino Davis, chair of the city’s public works committee, responded by saying he hopes a project adding speed humps will be slated for 2015.
If they fined everyone using cell phones approaching either end of the bridge, in one day they could fund those speed bumps.
Collect $124 from speedsters? we’ll get right on that, Patty!!!
Spend a $124 for a speed bump? to reduce speedsters and make the city more livable and maybe save a life?…… maybe next year or ten years from now ….
Oh wait, I know, maybe install some automated, revenue producing, infraction cameras to keep a watchful eye on things?
You are so right Richard. They would be a great money maker. But know they wont do that. They would say they dont have the manpower to support an enforcement like that…
I’ve done some sign waving at the roundabout and can say that on average every 10th car is on their phone. I’ve had mothers with kids in the car give me the bird when I shouted, “put the phone down and drive”… :-/
A couple of weeks ago there was a couple of BPD officers standing on the roundabout doing visual checks for either seatbelts or phones. Personally, I haven’t experienced or seen cars passing on the bridge.
I have not ever seen drivers passing on the bridge. I hear you, Robin. I yell at these same drivers speeding through the school zone on Naval Avenue and not stopping for pedestrians waiting to use the school zone crosswalks. A significant number of them are women in minivans or SUV’s with kids in the car and cell phone up to their faces not paying any attention except on what color that next coming stoplight is.
speed bumps on winfield at the crest of the hille would be nice to for all the jerks goin 45 in in a 25, a few of us have kids, a preschool, and dogs and we constantly have to yell at people flying up the hill on Winfield Ave coming from the round about end of winfield(south side)my 6 year old son can be standing waiting to cross and people dont even slow down.