POULSBO — Chances are most Poulsbo residents don’t know the difference between a residential collector street and a neighborhood collector street.

But they soon will.

Poulsbo City Council was briefed Wednesday on the results of an October 2003 traffic study and discussed how the review translated into impending updates to the municipality’s Comprehensive Plan. The research also brought to light a much needed evaluation of road classifications and led to proposed changes to local street standards.

Consulting firm David Evans and Associates headed up the study, which included an in-depth review of 40 intersections in Poulsbo. The results were offered to the city this month and, in the eyes of city associate planner Karla Boughton, included several interesting statistics and even a surprise.

Boughton pointed out that the highest volumes for peak evening commutes were tallied on State Route 305 between State Route 3 and Viking Way. Approximately 29,200 average daily trips (ADT) were counted during the survey. Lindvig Way was the second busiest at 23,000 ADT and SR 305 from Bond Road southward had 20,000-22,000 ADT.

The Poulsbo Traffic Study went a step further with its origin and destination survey, whose “purpose was to determine where the traffic was going,” Boughton said.

What was determined came as a surprise. The common assessment that most motorists simply pass through the city is a misconception, Boughton said. Following a detailed study, the consultant learned that 57 percent of vehicles traveling during peak evening hours stay within Poulsbo. The remaining 43 percent is thru-traffic.

“This is in contrast to the common belief that (motorists) driving in peak hours and coming from Winslow are just passing through town,” she said.

Also contrary to popular belief is the fact that ferry traffic has a huge impact on the evening commute. It actually makes up just 10-15 percent of ADT during peak evening hours.

Tied into the traffic review was an evaluation of Poulsbo’s existing street classifications — which are broken into classes ranging from principal arterials to collector arterials and subcategories that include neighborhood and residential collectors. While the terminology isn’t likely to mean much to the general public, the weight each title carries will impact traffic issues on Poulsbo streets for years to come.

Following further analysis and discussions, council will be called upon to set policy setting standards that will affect everything from landscaping and sidewalks to lane widths and parking.

The last two issues got considerable review Wednesday.

On-street parking in certain neighborhoods was viewed as both a positive and a negative. On the plus side, parked vehicles serve a good traffic calming measure but they can also created access problems for emergency management vehicles.

To this end, Public Works Director Jeff Lincoln said the biggest change proposed under the new standards deals with road widths. Certain stretches that were once allowed to be built at 24-feet in width would, in the future, need to built at 28-feet.

“That would accommodate parking on one side still allow access for the fire department,” he explained.

Lincoln clarified that while the new widths would only apply to certain yet-to-be built roadways, the application of new road classifications and street standards would effect all city roads.

“We’ll not be looking at redoing existing streets — it’s just not possible,” he said. “(But) as we look at new standards we’ll also have to look at what will be allowed not allowed on current streets.”

The conundrum, Lincoln admitted, is that while certain neighborhoods might express the need for more parking, there is the distinct possibility that this may not happen. City staff will be reviewing streets on a case by case basis to determine their fate.

“City staff is anticipating what it’s going to look like,” Lincoln told council, advising the council that Poulsbo should strive to create wider roads in minimum areas to accommodate everything from additional population to safety measures. “We do not want smaller roads. Less flexibility now, less flexibility you’ll have in the future.”

Councilman Rudolph said, above all, the new standards must be reasonable, otherwise restrictions — such as those placed on parking — would simply be ignored by many residents.

Councilman Ed Stern said clarifying the types of roads would be a positive move for the city in that it will provide staff with a standard they can rely on when discussing transportation issues with neighborhood groups. Lincoln agreed and added that creating definitive classifications would also benefit city staff in dealing with the public.

“I think what we’re seeing tonight is all the pieces coming together on something that’s needed to be worked on for a long time,” Boughton observed.

But as far as the puzzle goes, many more pieces need to be placed.

The proposals will go back to the Public Works committee and might be offered to the public for comment prior to additional review and council decision, Lincoln said.

“We still have some real detailed work to do,” he remarked.