Bainbridge may lower speed limits

Published 12:16 pm Sunday, February 14, 2016

The Bainbridge city council will hear two presentations at its Tuesday, Feb. 16 business meeting on proposals to reduce speed limits on island streets.

In the first agenda item, Perteet, Inc will review the findings of a traffic study that was commissioned by the city to evaluate roadway limits in locations that have had issues with non-motorized use and/or cut through traffic from Highway 305. The study also provides a safety evaluation of the High School Road corridor.

The proposed changes include:

• High School Road from Ferncliff to Grow – Prohibit parking in close proximity to roundabout, reconfigure on-street parking to back in, provide a warning light (RRFB) at the crosswalk near Hildebrand;

• Eagle Harbor Drive from McDonald to Taylor – Reduce speed limit from 35 to 30 mph;

• Lafayette Avenue from Euclid to Sunrise – Reduce speed limit from 35 to 30 mph;

• Manzanita Drive from Day to Hidden Cove – Reduce speed limit from 35 to 30 mph;

• Phelps Road from Madison to Hidden Cove – Reduce speed limit form 40 to 30 mph;

• Intersection of Phelps and Euclid – Install “cross traffic does not stop” warning signs;

• Sunrise Drive from Valley to Day – Reduce speed limit from 35 to 30 mph;

• Sunrise Drive from Day to Lafayette – Reduce speed limit from 35 to 30 mph.

The Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Committee will later take the podium to recommend reduced speed limits for the purpose of increased pedestrian and bicyclist safety on the island.

For urban streets, committee members will recommend that the maximum speed limits be set to 25 mph.

The committee will also suggest that speed limits be reduced from 40 to 35 mph for Phelps Road, New Brooklyn, High School Road, Fletcher Bay Road, Blakely Avenue, and a portion of Sportsman Club Road.

Public comment will be accepted at the beginning of the meeting and during the committee presentation, which is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:30 p.m.