Kitsap County will slightly modify its roadside memorial policy, extending the life of the signs and increasing the fee in order to cover the costs of installation and maintenance.

The signs, which commemorate individuals who have been killed in traffic accidents, are placed at or near the site where the accident occurred.

With this action, due for approval at the June 9 county commissioners’ meeting, the signs will stay up for 10 years or the life of the sign instead of six.

Costs will range from $300 to $700 depending on the sign, instead of the current flat $350 fee.

Both changes bring the county regulations in line with state practices.

“We do not feel that six years is enough time for the families to work through their grief,” said Marsha Masters, president of the local Mothers Against Drunk Drivers chapter. “These signs serve a dual purpose. The family has the opportunity to remember their loved ones at the place where they were last alive, and it brings awareness to others that they must drive responsibly and safely.”

The new ordinance is a revision of the original policy approved in 2002.

South Kitsap Commissioner Jan Angel, who is the only board member still serving from that time, said she originally opposed the policy because of constituent complaints that the signs would be “too distracting” to drivers.

She indicated Monday she would support the ordinance this time around, since the signs have not proven to distract drivers.

Generally, the signs are put up shortly after the incident they commemorate, along with flowers, balloons and banners.

Within 30 days the balloons and banners are removed, leaving a simple cross or sign for the duration.

Currently, about 11 signs are in place throughout the county.

The process to install a sign begins with the victim’s family or friends, who submit an application to Kitsap County Public Works.

The county gets about two or three sign requests a year, according to Jeff Shea of the Public Works Department.

The low number of signs prevents them from becoming too much of a distraction, although none of the signs are in close proximity to each other.

If this were the case, the county would need to examine why a particular stretch of road was the site of several accidents and fix the problem, according to North Kitsap Commissioner Steve Bauer.

Unlike state law, those memorialized on a sign need not have died in an alcohol-related incident. Furthermore, a person who died in an accident that he or she caused can also be memorialized on a sign.

Shea said that the fees paid by the family member cover the cost of the sign and most of its maintenance. He said an additional cost to the county could not be calculated, as it is part of standard sign maintenance.

“We need to do whatever we can to make the roads safer,” Masters said. “And the majority of the cost to do this is absorbed by the families.”