PO mayor discusses infrastructure priorities for 2026

Published 1:30 am Monday, January 5, 2026

Some traffic headaches but an improved gateway to Port Orchard’s downtown on Bay Street are slated in 2026, the city’s Mayor Rob Putaansuu said in outlining his priorities for next year.

“I am excited to begin construction on Bay Street while we plan for other transportation and infrastructure projects,” the mayor said. Next year, design work will continue on reducing Bethel Road traffic congestion and improving the city’s water system, he added.

The city plans to elevate portions of Bay Street to counter annual flooding of the well-travelled thoroughfare. Work on the $11 million project is slated to begin in spring and be completed by December 2026, per Putaansuu.

“I would certainly hope we get it completed, or substantially completed, prior to our Christmas festival,” he said.

Bay Street improvements will take place between Geiger Street and Frederick Street.

“The project will raise Bay Street up a foot and a half and to address the sea level rise and the flooding we’ve had downtown for years, every time you have high tides and heavy rains,” Putaansuu said. Other improvements include new sidewalks, the addition of trees and street crossings. The redesign will also place sewer, power and water underground. Utility upgrades ensure infrastructure is in place for the community center and new Kitsap Regional Library slated for downtown, he added.

“It will be a gateway into downtown,” the mayor said.

Traffic revisions will accompany the project. Plans call for Bay Street to be closed for 60 days at City Hall. Vehicles will be detoured up Kitsap Street and back down Sidney Avenue.

In planning the project, city officials considered two approaches, the mayor explained. One option involved keeping Bay Street open during construction – having one lane of traffic each way – and finish the job in 18 months. The other choice – which was selected – was to shut down the main thoroughfare for two months to allow workers to do necessary work and complete the job in 9 months.

The abbreviated schedule was chosen by city officials after getting input from business owners, Putaansuu said.

“I think a nine-month project has much less impact long term on our businesses over an 18-month project,” he said.

Samantha Smith, president of the Port Orchard Waterfront Alliance—a group representing downtown and Bay Street merchants—expressed support for the accelerated project schedule. She agrees that a shorter-term timeline will minimize disruptions to local businesses and help the community return to normal more quickly. Smith believes that completing the work efficiently is in the best interest of both merchants and residents, reducing the overall impact on daily activities and business operations.

Smith, who owns Josephine’s Mercantile, said downtown businesses will make the best of the street closure.

“With the time they say they are going to close the road – end of spring, beginning of summer – we feel it’s sustainable for us to be able to market to get people down here. We feel there’s a better opportunity that people would walk and come downtown and not be deterred by the inconvenience,” the business leader said.

Bethel project

Plans to improve traffic flow on Bethel Road between Salmonberry to S.E. Blueberry Roads will continue next year, paving the way for construction work to begin in 2027, the mayor said.

The “Bethel Phase One” project will install two roundabouts along Bethel at Blueberry and Salmonberry to reduce traffic congestion.

“We are excited to get going on that and see Bethel get approved so it can handle the traffic today and in the future,” Putaansuu said.

Stormwater infrastructure, attractive landscaping, street lighting and bike lanes are other components of the project, he said.

Currently, plans for the road improvements are 90% complete, per the mayor. Next year, the city will work on acquiring rights-of-way to widen the roadway, he said.

Home Depot is delaying construction of its new store next to Walmart, aiming to open after Bethel work finishes, the mayor said.

“Home Depot’s ready to go on their store, but they know that if they broke ground today, they would be opening their store about the time our road would be starting construction – and that’s the road right in front of their store. The road really couldn’t handle that traffic,” the mayor said.

Water system

Another “significant” project the city plans to work on in 2026 will be improving Port Orchard’s water system, said the mayor.

The project will connect the city’s two water systems. Currently, one system exists in McCormick Woods, and a separate one covers older parts of the city. Connecting the two systems, via a water main and pump station, will enable the city to move water to different parts of Port Orchard when the need arises.

For instance, during summer in the McCormick Woods area, water demand rises for lawn irrigation. Additionally, a major fire can significantly increase water needs in a neighborhood, he explained.

Upgrading the system will also alleviate the need for the city to bring in water from nearby entities. During emergencies, if Port Orchard’s system requires additional water, officials have to turn to Bremerton or West Sound Utility District for help.

“The new system will reduce our reliance on the neighbors. That’s a big step forward in our water system,” Putaansuu said. “Long-term, Bremerton doesn’t want to sell water to us. They need their water to serve their citizens,” he said.

Timing of the water system work remains up in the air.

“I’m not positive that we’ll get to construction in 2026, but it could be a 2027 project, depending on how quickly the design comes together,” the mayor said.

Cost of the water system project is estimated at $6 million, with city officials pursuing a $1 million capital appropriation from the legislature to underwrite a portion of the price tag, Putaansuu said.