Downtown stops OK'd by Poulsbo council

Scroll to the bottom of this page for a map of the new four-way stop locations.

POULSBO — The city of Poulsbo moved ahead with plans to make its downtown a more pedestrian-friendly place. Twelve new stop signs were approved for downtown intersections during a special city council meeting Wednesday.

Council members and some area business owners hope by slowing the flow of traffic in the city's core, cut-through drivers will alter their routes, using State Route 305 instead.

Many community members testified to car vs. pedestrian near-misses and the need to thin and slow the amount of traffic downtown. Others have spoken out against the plan, citing a decreased amount of foot traffic in downtown shops. There have been no reported car vs. pedestrian accidents, according to the Poulsbo Police Department.

Council members voted unanimously to move ahead with all stop signs after discussing their potential effect on businesses during an already tough economic climate. The effect of the traffic implementations on businesses and pedestrians will be monitored.

Two hotly contested stop signs, one at Sixth Avenue and Hostmark Street and another at the northern intersection of Jensen Way and Front Street, will be put in place prior to Viking Fest, which annually occurs in May. All other stop signs will be raised within a month, said city engineer Andrzej Kasiniak. The city will also post traffic revision warning signs.

Originally, the council approved all but three sign locations in November, tabling the other three for further discussion because of mixed community reaction. Those three included the signs at Sixth and Hostmark, Jensen and Front, as well as those proposed for the five-way intersection of Hostmark, Front, Fourth Avenue and Lincoln Road. That maligned intersection has been on the city's radar for months due to pedestrians' difficulty in crossing there.

Read more information on these stop signs and the city's Traffic Demand Management Study, as well as the city's parking study plan, on the City of Poulsbo Web site.

View a preliminary map of Poulsbo's new four-way stop intersections. Find out more by visiting www.cityofpoulsbo.com.

Contact North Kitsap Herald Reporter Jennifer Morris at jmorris@northkitsapherald.com or 360-779-4464.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.