Planning study news
The State Route 305 High School Road roundabout pre-design is underway. During the pre-design, WSDOT will collect feedback through in-person meetings and online events. The pre-design team will collect data and observe how people use the intersection for all travel modes including pedestrian, bicycle and ferry users.
Purpose
WSDOT periodically evaluates the crash history at all intersections in the state. This helps WSDOT find intersections most in need of improvements. The SR 305 and High School Road intersection’s history of fatal and serious injury collisions placed it on WSDOT’s safety priority programming. A roundabout at this location will reduce crashes and is consistent with other improvements along the SR 305 corridor.
The pre-design will include a Complete Streets analysis to identify improvements for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, mobility device users and transit riders.
The Complete Street analysis will develop different alternatives and design options for the intersection. As part of this process, WSDOT will meet with the community. The opinions gathered during WSDOT's community engagement efforts will help the agency determine community needs along this corridor.
Once the designs are developed, they will be presented to the community. This will happen at both an online and in-person open house. Dates for the open houses will be announced in advance on the WSDOT website through a news release. Dates will also be posted on this webpage.
In 2017, Kitsap Transit led a “Needs and Opportunities Study (PDF 6.4MB).” It recommended improvements at several intersections along the SR 305 corridor to help prevent collisions and ease traffic flow during peak commute hours. WSDOT, Kitsap County, City of Bainbridge Island, City of Poulsbo and the Suquamish Tribe were participants in the study.
The 2015 Connecting Washington transportation package included $36.8 million for investments in the corridor. One of those investments is the recently completed SR 305 /West Port Madison, Agatewood Rd., Adas Will Lane – Safety Improvements project. The study also called for a roundabout at SR 305 and Day Road.
The intersection of SR 305 and High School Road was not included in the 2017 study as a possible roundabout location.
Fatal and serious injury collisions beyond the study timeline prompted WSDOT to re-evaluate the intersection of SR 305 and High School Road. WSDOT has an obligation to ensure the safety of travelers while being good stewards of the resources allocated to us for safety improvements by the state Legislature.
The proposed SR 305/High School Road improvement is included in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and is funded through WSDOT's safety improvement program. This is a prioritized funding source that addresses safety needs statewide and is independent of the corridor work to date. This is a separate pot of money from our preservation funding. WSDOT's budget is set by the Legislature and the agency is not permitted to move money from one fund to another.
Target Zero is WSDOT’s safety improvement program. It aims to reduce serious and fatal crashes on state highways. The program focuses on two aspects: crash reduction and crash prevention.
WSDOT routinely reviews intersections on its state highway system to find ways to reduce potential crashes. We analyze locations that are at the highest risk for severe crashes. Once we identify those intersections, WSDOT develops a plan to reduce crash potential.
The evaluation process that led to the selection of SR 305/High School Road used data from 2015 to 2020. In that timeframe, 29 intersection-related crashes occurred. This includes one fatality and three serious injuries. Of the 29 crashes, there was one crash in which a driver struck a person crossing the road. In 2021, another person walking was hit in a similar circumstance.
Studies show that roundabouts are safer than traditional traffic signals or stop signs. They accommodate vehicles of various sizes. This includes emergency vehicles, buses, bicycles, semi-trucks with trailers, and farm and logging equipment.
Roundabouts are designed to be safer than traditional intersections for people walking, bicycling, or using mobility assistance devices. Vehicles are moving at a slower rate of speed in roundabouts - typically 15 to 20 miles per hour, unlike at a traffic signal, people moving through the roundabout have a safe place to wait as they cross only one direction of traffic at a time.