By Mike De Felice
Special to Kitsap Daily News
PORT ORCHARD — Anyone driving around town has noticed that traffic is on the rise. It seems more and more businesses are welcoming back their employees’ return to the office with the advent of COVID-19 vaccines earlier this year.
The gradual return to a more normal life has also brought back traffic headaches — longer lines at busy intersections and the familiar challenge of easing onto increasingly busy through fares from side streets.
As those congested commutes make a comeback, Kitsap Daily News checked on the status of a few local road projects aimed at mitigating traffic woes. Interestingly, all of these roadworks involve the construction of new roundabouts at busy intersections and approaches.
Bethel/Lincoln intersection improvement project
The Y-shaped intersection at Bethel Road Southeast and Mitchell Road Southeast, located 260 yards north of the intersection of Bethel and Southeast Lund Avenue, is headed for modifications. Current plans call for this often-chaotic intersection, commonly referred to as the “Mitchell Y,” to be replaced with a roundabout to improve safety and traffic flow, city officials said.
Once completed, motorists traveling on Bethel will traverse a roundabout that will collect vehicles from Southeast Lundberg Road and Lincoln Avenue Southeast. Vehicles on Mitchell will no longer be able to pull onto Bethel — a dodgy effort for even the most experienced of drivers.
The Y-shaped intersection at Bethel Road Southeast and Mitchell Road Southeast, located 260 yards north of the intersection of Bethel and Southeast Lund Avenue, is headed for modifications. (City of Port Orchard illustration)
“This is a highway safety improvement project,” assistant city engineer Chris Hammer said. “This particular intersection has the highest number of serious injury accidents in the city. That’s the reason we were able to get the money for this project,” he said.
The Y intersection has proven to be hazardous, noted Mark Dorsey, City of Port Orchard public works director and city engineer.
“People get frustrated because they are in a long line [on Mitchell going onto Bethel],” Dorsey said. “When they get a small break in traffic, they try to squeeze through — and they get T-boned.”
Hammer agreed: “A driver has to crank their neck around to see who is coming. It’s not a well-configured intersection. I think a lot of the accidents were driver frustration accidents.”
Officials also expressed concern that students coming from nearby South Kitsap High School are less experienced drivers and must contend with the odd-shaped intersection. Another part the project will involve installing either a smaller roundabout or three-way stop at Lincoln Avenue Southeast and Mitchell, the engineers said.
Construction of the Bethel roundabout is slated to start in late 2022 or early 2023 and is expected to take 18 months to complete, according to city officials.
During construction, traffic will still be able to move north and south on Bethel. The roundabout will be built in two phases. As one half of it is being constructed, traffic will be moved to the other side of street, officials said. “I don’t expect many delays for those driving on Bethel,” Hammer predicted.
Some work may be targeted for summer to reduce the impact on school district transportation, officials said.
Old Clifton Road roundabout project
This project is nearly completed. A roundabout was placed Southwest Old Clifton Road, between McCormick Woods Drive Southwest and Feigley Road Southwest. Motorists are already using the roundabout. The only remaining work to be done is permanent striping work, landscaping and signage, according to officials.
Land developer McCormick Communities did the roadwork as part of a transportation agreement done with local government. The intersection improvement will service future planned development north and south of Old Clifton Road, officials said.
Bethel/Bay/Maple roundabout project
This state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) project involves installing a three-legged roundabout to collect traffic from Bethel, Bay and Maple streets.
“After our analysis of this busy intersection in Port Orchard, we’re looking forward to building a single lane roundabout that will serve all users of this intersection for years to come,” said WSDOT project engineer Lone Moody. “We know roundabouts have tremendous benefits to improve the flow of traffic and help improve safety.”
Traffic flow at the intersection was given a “D” grade by a WSDOT study. That grade will be raised to an A or B grade by replacing the intersection with a roundabout, WSDOT spokesperson Doug Adamson said.
The state study showed increased traffic in the area leads to reduced traffic speed and less ability for motorists to maneuver, state officials reported. Daily traffic counts in the intersection are 18,000 vehicles north of the intersection and 14,000 vehicles south of the intersection, according to the study.
The project is the design phase. Construction will begin late spring in 2022 and is expected it to be wrapped up by this time next year, according to Adamson.
Roundabouts flourishing here
These three new roundabouts are not the only ones in and around the city. Three already exist.
Port Orchard had the first roundabout in the state of Washington, public works director Dorsey said. It is located by the bowling alley at Bethel and SR 166/Mile Hill Drive.
Two others are at Tremont Street Southwest and South Kitsap Boulevard, and at Tremont and Pottery Avenue.
Two others are on the drawing board: one at Southwest Old Clifton and Anderson Hill Road Southwest, and another at Southwest Old Clifton and McCormick Woods Drive, according to city engineers.
The state Department of Transportation is also looking for community feedback about installing a roundabout at the intersection of Mile Hill Drive and Wolves Road. WSDOT plans to host an online open house to provide specifics.
