The Bainbridge Island City Council received a presentation on proposed changes to the right turn lane on Highway 305 and Winslow Way at its Aug. 13 meeting.

The changes would add a bike lane carveout in the right turn lane at the intersection of Hwy 305 and Winslow Way. The right turn lane at the intersection isn’t currently being used.

“We currently have a variety of no right-hand turn signs there to prohibit people from making the right-hand turn. And they are fairly ineffective, though, in their total mission and they are also ugly. We have been asked if we could make improvements,” city manager Blair King said.

Peter Corelis, a city engineer with public works, provided the council with an overview of the proposed project.

“The main purpose of the signage that is deployed out there…is to reduce the line cutting by people on the right turn lane, and it’s proven to be ineffective, so we are proposing some alternative augmentations to the lane configuration there that makes better use of the space and also carves out a dedicated bike lane for lights at this facility,” he said.

Councilmember Joe Deets shared his support for the project.

“As we know, this intersection is problematic, and I really appreciate we’re moving forward with this. And plus, it sounds like there’s gonna be some conversations on how to improve the whole intersection, because right now it’s just not very effective for anybody,” he said.

Councilmember Leslie Schneider said she is interested in the feasibility of placing planter boxes on the outside of the bike lane to better protect bicyclists. BI resident Jeff Saboda shared his support for additional bike lanes and community education for both bikers and drivers on the island.

Council voted to authorize the city manager to consult with the state Department of Transportation for revisions to the right turn lane on Highway 305 and Winslow Way. The city anticipates offering public comment at a future date.

Council also appointed new members to the cultural funding task force for the 2025-26 funding cycle. The new members are: Adrienne Wolfe, Jill Krusinski, Becky Allen, John Carson, and Charles Sharpe.