PORT TOWNSEND — With state officials planning for 67 percent growth in total projected ferry ridership to Port Townsend during afternoons, traffic flow and safety is heavy on city leaders’ minds.
Consequently, Port Townsend City Council members Monday night urged a Washington State Ferries team to carefully consider traffic issues from the Water Street terminal to the city’s state Highway 20 entrance at Mill Road.
Jeanne Acutanza, project manager with ferries’ private consultants CH2M Hill, showed the council a computerized traffic model depicting summer peak traffic flow out of the terminal and to Haines Street.
Councilman Geoff Masci, however, told State Ferries officials that he was concerned that their proposals would conflict with city plans for a traffic signal or traffic circle at the future intersection of Howard Street and Upper Sims Way.
“Why did you stop at Haines when the real problem is Upper Sims Way to Howard Street and beyond?” asked Masci, a chiropractor who has offices on Upper Sims Way.
“To me this is only 50 percent of the traffic modeling. . . . The impact is not going to end at Haines.”
Councilman Scott Walker said he was not just concerned with traffic flow but transportation “for all different modes,” including pedestrians and bicycles.
“They each need their own safety zones,” Walker said, adding that economic development and social activities need to be factored in when considering ferry impact on traffic.
Traffic circles
Walker said he support traffic circles to keep traffic flowing, including the intersection at Sims Way and Kearney Street.
Calling the existing ferry terminal intersection with Water Street “very dangerous,” Councilwoman Michelle Sandoval raised concerns that traffic turns were tight and difficult in which to maneuver.
Walker agreed that access in and out of businesses on Water Street near the terminal needed to be improved.
Walker also said those he has talked to in the “bicycle community” wanted ferry overflow holding space proposed on Sims Way near the Haines Street entrance to the Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven built on a separate grade that would keep bike lanes intact with Sims Way.
Such an alternative would prevent bicycle traffic from conflicting with motorists parked in the overflow area.
Russ East, Washington State Ferries director of terminal engineering, said traffic safety and the community, of which the ferry system is a part of, is important to his agency.
