POULSBO — With the $14.9 million State Route 305 widening project well underway, the city of Poulsbo is looking to the future in its transportation plans.

But before the plans go the full city council for approval, the council’s public works committee is getting the first look.

Among the proposed changes in the updated transportation plan is the criteria of determining the level of service on roads throughout the city.

Currently, the level of service is determined by traffic volumes.

Under the proposed changes, level of service would be determined by both the volume and type of street, City Engineer Andrzej Kasiniak said.

“What would be acceptable on SR 305 probably isn’t acceptable on a residential street,” Kasiniak said, noting that the changes would recognize those differences and allow the city flexibility in its transportation plans.

However, once the city sets its level of service, any intersections and streets that fail to meet that standard must be improved at the city’s expense, Kasiniak said.

“I’m trying to fully understand the ramifications of whatever policy we decide,” Councilman Ed Stern said as he listened to Kasiniak’s proposal.

The policy decision could cost not only developers, but the city itself large amounts of money, Stern said.

Planning Director Barry Berezowsky said any development which causes a road to drop below the acceptable level of service would be responsible for bringing that road back up to par.

“If we say that the acceptable LOS is D and we can’t accept anything below D, the the first thing that causes traffic to go to E has to make improvements to bring it back to D,” Berezowsky said, adding that the improvements included would be determined as the situation arises.

For instance, if too many motorists are cutting through a residential area instead of having an enforcement battle, the city could install a series of stop signs to discourage traffic in the area, Kasiniak said.

“We can slow it down to where it becomes less desirable,” Stern said.

By using such methods, the city can make certain routes more or less desirable depending on what its policies are regarding its roads, Berezowsky said.

However, the council can pick different standards for different roads on a street-by-street basis if it chooses to do so, Kasiniak said.

“Once you determine the level of service, we will be able to tell you how much it will cost,” Kasiniak said.

With that much flexibility in its transportation plan, Councilman Jeff McGinty said the final decision will be difficult not only because of its impacts to existing roads, but future ones as well.

The committee will continue its discussion of the transportation plan at 5 p.m. tonight in the planning department conference room in city hall.