Washington Street Traffic Calming Mini Circles
We, the undersigned, are members of the Washington Street Neighborhood Advisory Committee of Port Townsend, WA. We are raising money via Go Fund Me to assist the City in the effort to calm traffic on Washington St and make one of the main cross-town arterials much safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Problem
Washington Street is classified as one of Port Townsend’s main east/west roads, serves the Victorian County Courthouse and US Post Office, but is mainly a narrow residential street, mostly without sidewalks or bike lanes. Growth in the area has resulted in increases in traffic counts as well as dangerous speeds well above the posted 25 mph limit.
The Solution
Over the last 2 years several concepts for traffic calming have been discussed with the Port Townsend Dept. of Public Works and the Engineering Dept. The most practical, effective, and economical solution found has been to place traffic calming mini-circles at the WA St. intersections with Cass and Benton streets. Experimental temporary circles have been installed since November 2020, and we now have a design that has proven to be very effective. Average speed through the two circles is now calmed to well below the 25 mph limit. Additional shoulder pavement has been added for ped/bike 5’ safety clearances.
The current layout of each of the circles has been approved by the PT City Council Transportation Committee. The final installation will be made permanent by partially burying the concrete circles in the existing asphalt & installing curbing. We now need to raise a total of $10,000 to help pay for the final installation of both circles.
The “Pay For”
This neighborhood traffic calming project began with a petition to the City Council in November 2019, with 110 local signatures, requesting action from the City to calm traffic on WA St. It led to several discussions at which a local fundraising campaign was suggested, with a possible target of $10,000. City Engineering estimated that would pay for required materials, and the City could possibly provide all engineering and labor for two intersections.
That community contribution estimate has not changed, while the City has likely expended labor and material over the last year to arrive at a proven mini-circle design. If we can raise the required $10,000, we will be getting 2 effective mini-circles at a cost to us of $5000 each, which buys us a much safer road for a small contribution from each of us.
Many of you know that a few years ago Blaine St. neighbors were permitted to raise private funds for installation of speed tables, signage, and road marking. So, a precedent exists for community contribution, above & beyond local taxes, for desired street calming improvements.
We are aware there are several other areas in town where residents are requesting traffic calming measures too. A successful completion of this first mini-circle project, including community funding, can be a great demonstration project, showing the way for other neighborhoods to work with the City of Port Townsend to create safer, friendlier streets.
Please help meet this goal of $10,000 soon to set an example and make Washington Street safer for all!
The Washington Street Neighborhood Advisory Committee
Harriet Cannon, Charles Cannon
Dorothy Cotton Banks, Margaret Takaki
Paul Marks, Bruce McComas