Roundabouts

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that a single-lane design at Salmonberry could handle the traffic in the next two decades in the area, the city is considering options to build a single-lane roundabout there to lower the cost and also reduce the environmental impact on the area.

“When we re-evaluated with some updated growth and updated traffic counts, the level of service was able to be achieved using a single-lane roundabout,” said Patrick Holm, a consulting project manager at SCJ Alliance, who gave a presentation about the work to date for Bethel Phase 1 to the city council in the city council meeting on Aug. 8.

“A single-lane roundabout could accommodate the 20-year traffic projection at that intersection, whereas, in the 2018 corridor study, it was assumed that that would have to be a multi-lane roundabout,” Holm said in the meeting.

The city is currently considering two additional options: a four-leg single-lane roundabout that will cost $13.5 million, or a three-leg single-lane roundabout for $12.5 million. The three-leg concept will eliminate full access to Salmonberry Road, according to the city.

To collect opinions from the public, the city launched a webpage to demonstrate the options and conduct a survey at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/ stories/a73b556bfd264303b39d4256038738bc.

The city will close the survey on Monday, Sept. 18 and will discuss the survey results with the city council at the city council meeting on Sept. 26, Port Orchard mayor Rob Putaansuu said.

About a year ago, the city voted unanimously to pass an ordinance to impose a one-tenth of 1% of sales tax to pay for the design and construction of Bethel Phase 1. The city is estimated to collect about $830,000 per year, which would be a revenue of $8.3 million in total as the tax is in place for 10 years.

Over 130 apartment units will be developed in the area near Bethel Phase 1. The Blueberry Road Apartment project, proposed by developer and Gig Harbor resident Steve Novotny, will bring 6 apartment buildings with 108 units at the northwest corner of the Bethel-Blueberry intersection. Novotny’s other multifamily housing project will create two 3-story apartment buildings that will offer 24 residential units on Salmonberry Road, east of the Bethel-Salmonberry intersection.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD A photo shows the concept for a 4-leg single-lane roundabout at the intersection of Bethel and Salmonberry Road. The City of Port Orchard is re-evaluating the design of the roundabout as updated traffic analysis suggests a single-lane roundabout will accommodate the 20-year traffic projection of the intersection.

A photo shows the concept for a 3-leg single-lane roundabout at the intersection of Bethel and Salmonberry Road. The City of Port Orchard is re-evaluating the design of the roundabout as updated traffic analysis suggests a single-lane roundabout will accommodate the 20-year traffic projection of the intersection.