KINGSTON — The Heritage Park Master Plan bloomed before the Kingston Citizens Advisory Council, and withered slightly under the traffic concerns raised by members during the presentation Wednesday night.

Congestion has been the largest concern voiced about the plan so far, said Kitsap County Parks and Recreation representative Jody Wroblewski.

“Traffic and roads have been the main concerns because those are the first steps we’re going to be doing for this project,” she said, adding that the now hazy details will gain clarity before construction begins.

The master planning process for the 450-acre park began last spring with community meetings aimed at getting public input, said Jonathan Morley, a principal landscape architect at The Berger Partnership. After accumulating comments and ideas, the master plan was formed.

“We plan to leave it largely natural,” he said. “We want to work on improving and enhancing the existing landscape.”

The property is home to an extensive wetland, Morley said, and the plan at this point is to leave that area be, developing other areas. Athletic fields at the park, which is located off Miller Bay Road just north of Indianola Road, will be constructed on an flat, sandy area, he said.

“Most of the intensive development of the site will be the athletic fields and the access roads,” Morley said, adding that the rest of the work will be creating trails for pedestrian use.

“Where will the other end of the road connect?” asked KCAC member Alex Thomsen, adding that the map provided seemed unclear.

One of the entrances is off of Miller Bay Road, and the other could connect into either the Arborwood or White Horse developments, Morley said.

KCAC member Betsy Cooper asked about the width of the road and raised concerns about speeding.

“The road will be a single lane in each direction, which will split to form super islands,” Morley said, explaining that the lanes of traffic would move independently from each other, going around topography as needed. “It can be easier on the land that way. Rather than paving the shoulder, we’ll narrow it, put gravel down and seed it, which will encourage people to slow down on the road. The lanes may only be 10 feet with a two-foot shoulder.”

“What happens when all the ball fields let out at once, and all the cars are trying to get out at the same time?” asked KCAC member Walt Elliot. ‘

KCAC member Marylin Olds added that the section of Miller Bay Road where the park entrance is being proposed already presents a danger to motorists.

Again, Morley said that the plan hasn’t been completely laid out, but there will be left-hand turn lanes and merging lanes built into Miller Bay, in addition to other road improvements.

The next steps for the project will be to present the master plan to the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners and to begin planning Phase I, Wroblewski said.

To view a copy of the master plan, visit http://www.kitsapgov.com/parks/heritageparks/north_kitsap.htm.