Towne Road, roundabouts, and media

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Facing a tight timeframe, County Engineer Joe Donisi told the commissioners that Towne Road's Option 2 (a trail/road hybrid) can still be accomplished this year, and he anticipates that the bids will be within budget.  

The recreational path, on the river side of the levee, will be the same width as the Olympic Discovery Trail (8-10 feet) however, a short 350-foot section will narrow to a minimum of 6 feet.  The county is considering marking the trail footprint on the levee so people can see how wide the trail will be.  

"Will you be able to present the cost components of the different aspects of the project as a part of the presentation when we see the plan?" asked Commissioner Ozias.  "I'm most interested in the cost associated with the trail component, the cost associated with the road component, specifically as it might relate to different surfacing options and then if there are barrier options that have different cost points, different considerations, I would love to be able to understand those considerations and cost points as well."

The county engineer said he would be able to present those costs once the bid packet is assembled.  Donisi is aiming to present the bid packet to the commissioners on April 8th.  There is a chance Donisi may present the bid packet a week earlier, on April 1st, with a call for bids going out on April 9th or 16th.

Donisi acknowledged the timeline is tightening, especially with road construction season around the corner, but he says it's an "easy" project to bid: no culverts or fish windows to consider, just moving earth from the top of the levee to two primary locations: the Towne/East Anderson intersection, and a new parking area near the creamery.  

The next Towne Road update is scheduled for either the April 1st or April 8th commissioners’ work session.

Towne Road wasn't the only news about traveling in Clallam County; the Department of Transportation presented its "Complete Streets" program which has two proposed roundabouts on Highway 101.  One roundabout is being considered where Highway 101 intersects Taylor Cutoff and Gilbert Roads.

"I'm someone who's generally a fan of roundabouts," admitted Ozias.  The DOT is considering installing an additional roundabout at the intersection of 101 with Old Olympic Hwy and O'Brien Road.

Administrator Todd Mielke asked if the DOT was open to considering options other than roundabouts.  "We're trying to balance safety concerns that you mentioned with, ‘it's still a highway’, really the only highway, and hopefully the highway doesn't relegate itself to being 35 mph from one end of the county to the other," said Mielke.  Steve Roark, the DOT's region administrator, said they were open to other options but stated, "roundabouts do perform better from a safety standpoint." 

The DOT also provided an update on the Simdars Road Interchange project which will also feature a roundabout.

Finally, during a conversation that touched upon the decline of the newspaper industry, Commissioner Ozias has been thinking about the local government's role in supporting the local press.  "I don't know to what extent local governments can help be a part of helping to maintain local press.  I don't know if that's an appropriate role for us in any way, shape, or form."

Reminder: This year’s Clallam Conservation District election will be held tomorrow, on March 19, 2024. Polls open at noon and close at 7:00 p.m. Ballot counting will be open for public viewing starting at 7:00 p.m.

Voters must be registered to vote in Clallam County. If didn’t request a mail-in ballot, you must vote in person at the Clallam Conservation District office located at 228 W First Street, Suite H in Port Angeles, WA. 98362.

The 2024 Supervisor candidates are Lori Delorm (Sequim native, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe member and employee who supports the current efforts to convert irrigation ditches into pressurized pipelines) and Judy Larson (Sequim resident since 1993, delegate for the Dungeness River Management Team, who supports piping with permission of landowners).