POULSBO — There’s only one way in and out of the residential streets connected to Liberty Road, which is why some residents do not want to see North Kitsap Fishline use it for access when it moves to the former Poulsbo RV site, bordered by Liberty and Viking Avenue.
A formal complaint was filed with the City of Poulsbo by Charles Wenning Dec. 4. Wenning asks the city to either deny access to Fishline’s property via Liberty Road, widen the road at the intersection and install a traffic light, or have access to Fishline’s property via Viking Avenue.
Fishline, a nonprofit, recently purchased the former Poulsbo RV site for $900,000.
“Most of the neighbors up here support Fishline,” Wenning said Dec. 6. “Almost all the people are glad to see them here.”
It’s all an issue of road access, he said.
“Liberty Road is the only way in and out of the neighborhood,” Wenning said. “It’s just not possible to add 130-plus cars a day and to get in and out of the neighborhood.
“That’s the big problem.”
There are approximately 40 homes, with residents who rely solely on Liberty Road. Twenty-six residents signed the complaint, according to Wenning.
Liberty Road is connected to Viking Avenue. A stop sign controls traffic turning on to Viking Avenue, which is a four-lane road with a turn lane in the center.
Fishline’s new site has access to its 1.7 acres from Liberty Road. The entryway to the site is almost directly across from the James Lumber/ Ace Hardware access for semi-trucks, according to Wenning.
Those semi-trucks “block both directions of travel until they turn onto Viking Avenue,” according to the complaint. School buses, too, load and unload students twice per day on Liberty Road.
Access for emergencies is also of concern to Wenning. Wenning recently had friends visiting, one of whom is diabetic. His friend went into diabetic shock and emergency crews had difficulty accessing his home. If traffic was impeded by Fishline, he worries emergency response could be further slowed.
Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson said she knew of the complaint and understands Fishline will be discussing the issue with residents. However, the city is not likely to get involved.
