Last week’s tragic crash on Highway 305 underscores what many people who use the highway on a daily basis see as a major issue: safety.

State and local transportation officials recently pulled together the results of a survey of those who use Highway 305 on a regular basis. A large number of commuters, and islanders, responded.

One telling result: More than 75 percent of those polled said safety was an issue on Highway 305.

Access to the highway from side streets was a significant concern; 70 percent of survey respondents said they were worried about getting onto the busy highway from adjoining roads.

What’s more, people who attended open houses held to get input on the highway — a starting point as the state considers $38.6 million for safety and other improvements on the highway — said making turns off Highway 305 were equally treacherous.

“Lack of turn lanes is a serious safety issue,” one islander wrote to transportation officials. “Please consider two-way turn lanes to get on and off highway. For many neighborhoods 305 is the only option for residential access. Almost all of my neighbors have been in near accidents trying to enter/exit the highway.”

The Bainbridge city council recently considered a comp plan policy that would have put the city formally opposed to any proposal to widen 305 with the exception of expanding the 305 corridor to make way for more buses or walkers or bicyclists.

But safety on the highway for motorists — not adjoining bicycle routes, not a parallel footpath for pedestrians, not increased bus runs — is truly the most pressing issue for 305. We were encouraged to see the council reject this premature policy.

Premature, we say, because all options — a wider highway for more turn lanes, signalization improvements, better signage — need to be on the table as the state considers how to improve the roadway for its current users and those yet to come.