SILVERDALE – Kitsap Realtor Mike Eliason said he counted 53 bumps on the road while driving along Silverdale Way. And that’s 53 bumps too many, he said, for the commercial core of Kitsap County.

It’s the patchwork of asphalt along Silverdale Way from the recent installation of new water mains that caused the problem.

Despite the slightly bumpy road, Tim Knapp, maintenance director at Silverdale Water District, said it was all worth it.

“We are sure happy with the outcome, getting all water mains upgraded through the commercial core,” Knapp said. “It makes me sleep a lot easier now knowing not a small seismic activity will take us out. That project is to the point where we’re punchlisting.”

Knapp spoke at the recent Central Kitsap Community Council meeting.

“They have done all the paving repair and been signed off by the county on the paving repairs which doesn’t mean the roads are perfect yet. There’s quite a few patches out there from other contractors,” Knapp said.

County Commissioner Edward Wolfe was also at the meeting

“I get probably four calls a day on this,” Wolfe said of the patched-up road.

“The first question I get is how come it took so long and why is it worse now than it was before?”

Wolfe said the public works director told him the road and water main project was delayed due to unclaimed and unmapped utilities that were encountered during the work.

And the road was not exactly Autobahn-grade prior to the project.

“The road was not in the best condition to start with,” Wolfe said. “Patches can only do so much … (it’s) pretty clear at least with our public works director that the county will have to do a full overlay and resurfacing.”

That would involve grinding the entire surface of the road and laying down a fresh, smooth layer of asphalt. The overlay work would also trigger requirements to improve sidewalks and sidewalk curb ramps so they’re more ADA-compliant.

“It’s not perfect … but I think that’s what’s going to happen and we need to start looking for the money. We will start looking at he money to do that.”

Knapp said it made sense to do the water main project on a road that was in poor condition.

“I am really glad we tore up roads that were less than perfect. We could have come after it was re-paved and the patches would have been beautiful” Knapp joked.

“We decided to do this project because the roads were at the end of their lifespan. And I fully support that decision.” The new pipes will last more than 125 years, Knapp said.

“It was the right time to do this project,” he said.