SILVERDALE — It was shortly after 10 a.m. Monday when Be Phan stepped out of her Be’s Beauty Salon & Nail Spa, 9222 Silverdale Way NW, and looked up the road from where construction is underway on the Silverdale Way road improvement project.

“I’m right at Anderson Hill and I can see traffic backed up all the way to Bucklin Hill Road,” she said. “Nobody can move.”

Phan and other business owners hope some solutions will come from a meeting with County Commissioner Ed Wolfe, 1 p.m. Nov. 28 at Monica’s Waterfront Bakery & Cafe. For Phan, solutions can’t come soon enough — she said her business has been down 80 percent since mid-September.

“I’m ready to close the door,” she said Nov. 27. “My business is right on the main road and I’m really hurting. I’m usually very busy — 13 to 14 appointments a day, 10 to 12 walk-ins. Now, I’m getting no walk-ins and my regular customers don’t want to put up with [the traffic].”

Construction on this phase of the Silverdale Way road improvement project, from NW Byron Street to NW Anderson Hill Road, began on Aug. 7, spurring efforts by business and county Public Works officials to inform residents of alternate routes into Old Town — and to remind them that Old Town businesses are open during construction.

The $11.1 million project is significant. When completed, Silverdale Way will have five lanes, with 5-foot bike lanes, 6-foot planter areas, and 8-foot sidewalks. There will be new street lighting and a new traffic signal at Byron Street and Silverdale Way. The stormwater system will be upgraded to provide stormwater treatment for a 43-acre drainage basin.

An earlier meeting between Wolfe and Old Town businesses, on Nov. 2, resulted in promotional materials designed by Visit Kitsap; the materials remind residents that Old Town businesses are open, and also show alternate routes to and from that area.

According to Connie Weisel, chairwoman of the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee, one idea is to install large banners at the entrances to Old Town, using the graphics designed by Visit Kitsap.

The county Public Works Department and the Government Affairs Committee have been working to spread the word about alternate routes to and from Old Town Silverdale, home to Silverdale Waterfront Park and eclectic mix of businesses — among them a farm store, salons, restaurants, an arts school, a music academy, and various professional services. Clear Creek Trail winds along the waterfront. The park has a pier, boat and kayak launches, and a children’s playground.

Kate Shelton of Silverdale Autoworks, 3342 NW Byron St., Silverdale, said there are a lot of great reasons to visit Old Town. “I would say the mom-and-pop shops, Monica’s, the art place across the street from her, the kids’ park, Cash Brewery,” she said. “Our customers complain about the construction, but I haven’t heard that the wait times are that long.” As an alternate route, she suggests Bucklin Hill Road to Bayshore Drive to Washington Avenue.

Meanwhile, work was scheduled to resume Nov. 27 on the road improvement project, including constructing the potable water main in Byron Street, excavating for the joint utility trench, and mobilizing equipment onto the site for the wall construction, according to Public Works.

“All businesses are open during construction but motorists can expect intermittent delays,” Public Works reported. “Keep traffic moving. Plan ahead and scout an alternate route to your destination.”

Public Works reported that motorists should expect the following traffic impacts Nov. 27 to Dec. 1:

• Byron Street will close during daytime work hours to install the potable water main. The street will reopen during the evening and non-work hours. A detour route will be signed along Carlton Street.

• The east side shoulder and the south lane of Silverdale Way (south of Byron Street) will close for Puget Sound Energy work and for clearing and grubbing of the hillside. Motorists can expect alternating one-lane traffic Nov. 28-30.

• The southbound lanes and the center turn lane on Silverdale Way (from Anderson Hill Road to Lowell Street) will close to install the remaining storm system. One northbound lane and one southbound lane will be maintained at all times through the work area.

To learn more about the project, or to sign up for weekly updates go to www.bit.ly/SilvWayProject.

— Richard Walker is managing editor of Kitsap News Group. Contact him at rwalker@soundpublishing.com.

The county Public Works Department and the Government Affairs Committee have been working to spread the word about alternate routes to and from Old Town Silverdale. (Visit Kitsap)