KINGSTON — The installation of a traffic signal at the Bond/Gunderson/Stottlemyer Road intersection could begin as early as this week, said the project’s primary proponent State House Rep. Beverly Woods (R-Kingston).

The Washington State Department of Transportation has selected Valley Electric Company of Mount Vernon, which gave the low bid of $119,998 Sept. 2, to do the project. The contractor and WSDOT officials were expected to talk Monday to see how quickly work could begin, as well as discuss accelerating the project. Woods was told last week that the signal’s poles and controller were already in hand.

“The contractor has 10 working days to get under way and 35 days  to do the installation — all weather permitting, of course,” Woods said. “I’m hopeful the signal will be in place by mid-November and it could be sooner if the contractor and the state are able to put together an accelerated schedule.”

“Persistence pays off. This project has been at the top of my list since the first of the year, but the real credit for this belongs to the Turner family,” said Woods, who is Republican leader on the House Transportation Committee. “I also know this project has received attention from the Transportation Secretary on down and I appreciate that.”

Woods was referring to Suquamish resident Jim Turner and his granddaughter Dominique Herrin, who spearheaded the movement to get a light installed at the intersection following the death of their wife/grandmother, Arlone Elaine Turner, who died in a car accident there in December 2004. There have been two other fatalities at the intersection since — bicyclist Robert Butler of Hansville died there in February and just recently, Marie Hoefener of Kingston died following a Sept. 1 accident.

Coincidentally, bids submitted for the project were also opened the day of the last accident.

Earlier this year, Woods made sure the Legislature allocated money for the installation of a traffic signal system, including pedestrian signals and crosswalks.

Woods said the Bond-Gunderson signal installation is in addition to the $5 million safety project legislators approved this year for the State Route 307/State Route 104 corridor (Bond Road, from Poulsbo to Kingston).

“Kitsap County is more densely populated than any county but King, and arterials like Bond Road seem to be carrying an ever-growing volume of traffic,” she said. “I’m committed to making sure we get the resources that will help make all of our roads, especially the primary ones, as safe as possible.”