An old adage states “You can’t fight city hall.” That adage is not always the rule, as proved this month by a concerned Old Town business owner, a county commissioner and a contractor who worked together to resolve an issue before it became a dispute.
An Old Town business owner recorded a video of a heavy equipment operator driving through a four-way stop on the 3400 block of Byron Street on Jan. 15 — something he said he saw happen several times that day. “It’s only a matter of time before a car or pedestrian gets nailed by this wheel loader that’s transporting dirt to and from the [Silverdale Way Road Improvement Project] site with full loads,” the business owner wrote.
The business owner notified his local business association, which in turn notified County Commissioner Ed Wolfe’s office.
Within two days, they were notified by county Public Works Director Andrew Nelson that the Public Works construction manager discussed the issue with the contractor ‘’and agreed upon corrective action.”
Nelson wrote, “Construction vehicles are required to comply with traffic signals, signs, and markings unless the contractor has established other traffic control measures through flaggers and signage. In this case, the front end loader should have complied with the four-way stop and the contractor will address this with the equipment operators.”
The contractor also agreed to address with his employers the revving of diesel engines, which created a large volume of exhaust that inundated a business.
Nelson wrote, “Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention so that we are able to address them with our contractor. It is important for local business owners to address these concerns through us versus going directly to the contractor.’’
The Silverdale Way Road Improvement Project is a major project, with a contractor trying to meet deadlines and businesses trying to accommodate customers and people trying to get to where they need to go. The whole process is complicated, expensive, and time-consuming. But there’s no room to cut corners, particularly where public safety is concerned. As proven here, it’s possible to resolve a concern before it grows into an irreconcilable dispute.
Commissioner Wolfe wrote, “Ensuring local businesses stay open and making certain contractors act in a respectful and professional manner are important to me during this vital improvement project.”
— Central Kitsap Reporter Editorial Board: Terry Ward, publisher; Donna Etchey, general manager; Richard Walker, managing editor
