CHIMACUM — State Department of Transportation representatives are ready to write a plan after 18 months of study and public gatherings on potential traffic safety improvements on state highways 19 and 20 between state Highway 104 and Port Townsend ferry terminal.
Those improvements could result in traffic signals, roundabouts, flyover or undercrossing at state highways 19 and 104.
Debbie Clemen, Department of Transportation public involvement coordinator, said the open house at Chimacum Middle School with Thursday night was the last of four public information gatherings.
Next, Clemen said, the state Transportation officials will bring their findings together and write a plan.
That should be ready in March, she said, and then the agencies involved can apply for grants to fund projects supported by stakeholders such as local governments, residents and business owners along the highways stretching between Highway 104 in Chimacum to the ferry terminal at Port Townsend.
“There’s currently no funding for the projects,” Clemen said, but having a plan will greatly improve changes for landing state grant dollars.
Stakeholder recommended projects, and their estimated cost, are:
• Kearney Street at Sims Way in Port Townsend, traffic light or roundabout — at least $1.3 million.
• Port Townsend entryway at the Discovery, Mill and Jacob Miller roads on state Highway 20 — at least $600,000.
• Intersection control at the junction of state highways 20 and 19 — at least $2.9 million.
• Intersection control of Prospect Road and state Highway 19 — at least $1.5 million.
• Traffic light or roundabout at State Highway 19 and Irondale Road — at least $2 million.
• Traffic light or roundabout at State Highway 116 (Ness Corner Road) and state Highway 19 — at least $3.6 million.
• Traffic light or roundabout at State Highway 19 and West Valley Road — at least $2.1 million.
• Flyover ramp at State Highway 19 and a Highway 104 undercrossing — at least $7.4 million.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
