POULSBO — The countdown to the first major road closure of the State Route 305 widening project has begun.
In less than six days, the highway will be closed between Forest Rock Lane and Liberty Road, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 25, and will reopen at 5:30 a.m. Aug. 28. Traffic will be detoured east on Forest Rock Lane to 10th Avenue and south on Liberty Road during the closure.
Taking a proactive step to inform area motorists of the upcoming project, the Washington State Department of Transportation mailed postcards to residents of Bainbridge Island, Hansville, Indianola, Kingston, Port Gamble and Poulsbo.
“This first one is a kickoff for the project and they provide a broad overview of the project,†WSDOT communications specialist Alice Fiman said.
WSDOT will periodically send additional postcards to notify residents of the project’s progress, but the public is encouraged to use the project’s Web site for updates, Fiman said. The Web site is www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR305/PoulsboSouthtoBondRd.
“Obviously we would like people to have as much information as possible, and we ask for patience,†said Poulsbo Mayor Kathryn Quade.
Information about the closure is also available on the city’s Web site, www.cityofpoulsbo.com and in local newspapers, Quade said.
“People are going to be frustrated and they need to allow a little extra time to get where they’re going,†she said.
All of the emergency and public safety agencies in the area have been notified of the closure and are prepared to handle emergency calls, she said.
“I think DOT realizes how important it is to the city of Poulsbo to keep our citizens informed as well as the people who are traveling through the area,†Quade said.
Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stuart Leidner said the chamber has a link to the project’s Web page on its Web site and is doing its best to keep up with its progress.
With the highway closure only a week away, Leidner said the chamber has been overwhelmed with calls about it.
“I think people are still taking a wait-and-see approach,†he said of the closure.
In the days leading up to the closure, Leidner said the chamber will do all it can to keep the public informed and aware of what is happening.
However, just across the Hood Canal Bridge at the Gateway Visitor Center in Port Ludlow, manager Maureen Edelblut said knew of the project because of her frequent travels into Poulsbo.
“I knew there was construction, but I didn’t know they were going to be closing the road,†Edelblut said, when the North Kitsap Herald informed her of the Aug. 25-28 closure.
The center has received several e-mails and information about the Hood Canal Bridge project, but nothing about the SR 305 widening project, she said.
“It would be helpful for us to know about it, because we’re going to get people who come from Seattle looking for a way around it,†Edelblut said.
Night work at
Bond Road/SR 305
intersection
Aug. 21-25
In the week leading up to the highway closure, Cascade Natural Gas crews will be doing ______ at the Bond Road/SR 305 intersection from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Aug. 25 and again Aug. 28 from the same times.
Flaggers will be posted at the intersection and the traffic signal will be turned off.
“I don’t think this one should be too bad and since it’s a night it should be less of an issue,†said Poulsbo public works director Jeff Bauman.
Traffic will continue to flow through the intersection, so Bauman said he is not anticipating any major delays or backups due to the work.
“There are no detours and people should treat it as a four-way stop,†Bauman said. and is doing its best to keep up with its progress.
With the highway closure only a week away, Leidner said the chamber has been overwhelmed with calls about it.
“I think people are still taking a wait-and-see approach,†he said of the closure.
In the days leading up to the closure, Leidner said the chamber will do all it can to keep the public informed and aware of what is happening.
However, just across the Hood Canal Bridge at the Gateway Visitor Center in Port Ludlow, manager Maureen Edelblut said knew of the project because of her frequent travels into Poulsbo.
“I knew there was construction, but I didn’t know they were going to be closing the road,†Edelblut said, when the North Kitsap Herald informed her of the Aug. 25-28 closure.
The center has received several e-mails and information about the Hood Canal Bridge project, but nothing about the SR 305 widening project, she said.
“It would be helpful for us to know about it, because we’re going to get people who come from Seattle looking for a way around it,†Edelblut said.
