POULSBO — North Kitsap High School runners knew to avoid lane No. 3 on the North Kitsap Stadium track this year.

That was where the largest bubbles had formed beneath the rubber surface, causing cleat-snagging lumps.

“It was pretty dangerous throughout the season,” North Kitsap track coach Dave Snyder said.

The href=”http://www.nkshools.org”> North Kitsap School District board voted Thursday night to resurface the failing track this summer, at a cost of $86,000. Money will be drawn from leftover capital bond funds.

District Maintenance and Facilities Director Dave Dumpert said the district planned to resurface the track in 2011, but its rapid deterioration is forcing the district to act sooner.

The 11-year-old track has passed the end of its life expectancy of nine to 10 years, Dumpert said. Some repairs were made in 2008 when artificial turf was installed in the stadium.

North Kitsap High School Athletic Coordinator John Waller said he was aware lane three was dangerous to run on this spring and students were advised to stay off that lane during practices. Bubbles appeared on other lanes but were less pronounced.

Waller said the condition of the track varied depending on the weather. Rain would cause the lumps to swell up, “and it would be like running on bubble wrap,” Waller said.

The full track was used in North Kitsap’s only home meet, on April 22. Waller said the conditions were safe that day.

“It would not have been used had there been any concerns with safety at all,” Waller said.

Waller and Snyder decided to not host the Olympic League championship meet, both in 2009 and 2010 because of the track’s condition.

Dumpert became aware of new bubbles forming on the track late in the summer of 2009. At that point the district considered making spot repairs to the track but the repairs would require temperatures of more than 60 degrees to complete.

Dumpert said the district planned to make the fix in the spring of 2010, but the weather didn’t cooperate and the track’s condition became worse in the spring.

Dumpert said his office and the district’s Capital Facilities Advisory Committee agree the district should resurface the track instead of removing and repairing the bubbling portions.

The spot repairs would cost about $29,000, and Dumpert said the district would have to continue making repairs until the track was resurfaced.

“It wouldn’t solve the issue,” Dumpert said.

If the resurfacing is approved by the school board, the work would likely be done in late July, and would take about three weeks to complete.

Dumpert said the new surface would use similar materials as the existing track.