BIFD still vetting concerns of 305/High School Rd roundabout
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 4, 2026
The Bainbridge Island Fire Department Board of Commissioners reviewed an update about the department’s responses to accidents at the intersection of Highway 305 and High School Road, the future proposed site of a roundabout, as part of its Feb. 25 meeting.
Between 2015 and 2024, BIFD responded to 20 incidents at the intersection. BIFD provided nine EMS transports (eight Basic Life Support and one Advanced Life Support), and no airlifts were required, BIFD battalion chief, medical services officer and health & safety officer, David Bailey said.
On the other hand, the state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) previously reported 29 intersection-related collisions that occurred between 2015 and 2020, resulting in one fatal collision and three serious injury collisions. WSDOT also found 11 crashes between 2020 and 2024.
Bailey described some of the reasons why BIFD may have different data from the State Patrol.
“The reason for the discrepancy, right off the bat, is that we are not called to every single accident. State Patrol or most often, Bainbridge Police gets on the scene and says, non-injury. We may not even get called,” he said.
BIFD fire chief Jared Moravec provided an update following the agency’s previous efforts to send letters to local elected officials regarding their safety concerns. “The responses we’ve got from our local legislators have been one of understanding what our concerns are and their willingness to pass those concerns along on our behalf,” he said.
The board directed Moravec to draft follow-up letters to elected representatives and letters to several other state officials, including Gov. Bob Ferguson, State Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith, and other officials at WSDOT. As of Feb. 26, Moravec said the department has received responses from Sen. Drew Hansen and Rep. Greg Nance regarding the Feb. 9 letters.
“The fire department does have an interest in seeing a reduction of traffic collisions, a reduction of injuries as a result of traffic collisions, for any type of road project. What we want to make sure of is that we don’t solve one public safety problem and then create a handful of others. And that’s what we’re attempting to make sure doesn’t happen with this particular project,” Moravec said.
