QUILCENE — Quilcene residents are gathering more signatures on a petition urging the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to fast-track an $884,165 grant to improve traffic safety on U.S. Highway 101 as it passes through town.
“We are hoping that it will begin the development phase of the project, getting Quilcene residents together with traffic engineer professionals to collaboratively design highway safety improvements,” said Quilcene resident Linda Herzog of the petition.
The first version of the petition, which carried a reported 100 signatures, was presented to the commissioners Monday.
Commissioners took no action.
The next group of signatures is expected to be delivered to the county commissioners at their next meeting at 9 a.m. this coming Monday in commissioners’ chambers at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St.
Herzog said petition signers hope the county will begin the design process to develop a strategy to encourage motorists traveling on a 1.2-mile stretch through Quilcene to slow down and observe the 35 mph zone.
The petition encourages the county to administer the state Department of Transportation grant, which is intended to provide a design for improved safety as well as cover construction.
The petition reads: “We the undersigned ask that you proceed with the WSDOT Complete Street Grant for Highway 101 in the core area of Quilcene. We are concerned about losing more of the purchase power of the grant or losing the grant entirely. We have already lost 10 percent of value of the grant in the years since it was awarded. We want a safe community for our kids.”
On Thursday, Jefferson County Public Works Director Monte Reinders said the value of the grant has not decreased 10 percent, although he acknowledges its administration is about a year behind schedule.
Herzog said that amount isn’t enough to complete the job but the money, when released, will be used to take the project as far as possible.
“We will use the grant to do as much as we can,” Herzog said.
“When that runs out, we will get the remainder from another source.”
Reinders said portions of the project are complete and that a design charrette, where plans are presented to the public for review, will be scheduled in the late fall.
“It’s wonderful to know there is that much support in the community for this,” he said.
“The fact that the public is raising awareness of this project is extremely helpful and much appreciated.”
Reinders said the grant application was made in fall 2012 and awarded a year later. The original schedule would have seen a design charrette in late 2014.
“We had a lot of building projects over the summer that were scheduled before this,” Reinders said of the grant.
“The staff got pulled away on other projects, and you can only do so many things at once.”
Reinders said another delaying factor came from the inability to recruit staff to fill vacant positions.
The petition resulted from a Sept. 10 meeting of the Quilcene Conversations advocacy group.
Those who want to sign the petition can find it at the Quilcene Village Store, 294235 U.S. Highway 101.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
