Public Hearing August 13 for 2013-2018 Transportation Improvement Program

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Monday, August 13, 2012, at 10:00 AM in the Commissioners Chambers at the County Courthouse in Port Townsend, in consideration of the proposed Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2013 through 2018.

Update: The Board adopted the 2013-2018 TIP unanimously on August 13 through Resolution 49-12.

Oak Bay Road culvert replacement, milepost 8.947, April 2011

The 2013-2018 TIP is a list of capital transportation projects that Jefferson County Public Works anticipates undertaking in the corresponding six-year period. The list includes secured and anticipated funding sources for each project.

For more information, visit the TIP webpage. 

Example project map. Click here for the TIP wall map.

The text of the August 1 media release follows after the jump...

Quimper Peninsula Transportation Study

The Quimper Peninsula Transportation Study is now posted on the Jefferson County Public Works website.

The Port Hadlock "Crossroads"

A few years back Jefferson County hired Transpo Group of Kirkland to build a travel demand model for the Quimper Peninsula. We shared the data with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to contribute to the SR 19/20 Corridor Plan and we initiated our own study that covered a larger area and focused on the Irondale & Port Hadlock Urban Growth Area (UGA). We have now completed the contract with Transpo Group and the final products are up on the web.

The Quimper Transportation Study, Study Appendices and the 2008 Travel Demand Model Documentation can be found here: http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/publicworks/trans_planning.asp.

An anticipated next step is to scope a “UGA Roadmap” project that will use the Quimper Transportation Study as a foundation for further transportation planning. Refer to initial goals, deliverables and outcomes below (after "the jump").

2012-2017 Transportation Improvement Program

The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on June 20, 2011 at 11:00 AM at the Jefferson County Courthouse in consideration of the proposed Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2012-2017.

For details and documents, visit the Public Works TIP page.

Public Works issued a media release on June 8 with information about the process by which the proposed TIP is developed. Read the text after the jump or jump to a PDF of the release.

* * *

WSDOT approves SR 19/20 Corridor Plan

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has completed a Corridor Plan for State Route (SR) 19/20 from SR 104 to the Port Townsend ferry dock.

The plan outlines a vision for the future of the highway corridor and recommends improvement strategies.

The WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator approved the February 2011 document on March 27.

Visit this website to download the Corridor Plan: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr19/corridorplan.

The key question for those of us who use this highway corridor is how best can we work together to implement the Plan. How can we see to it that the priority improvements happen?

Jefferson County Public Works will be working toward meeting the goals of the Plan and we look forward to working with you.

2011-2016 Transportation Improvement Program subject of Oct. 18 public hearing

The Quinault River threatens the South Shore Road.  Jefferson County frequently faces road management challenges resulting from winter storm damage.

The Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) will hold a public hearing on October 18, 2010 as a step in the process to consider and adopt a Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the period from 2011 through 2016. The TIP is a list of capital transportation projects that the Jefferson County anticipates undertaking in the next six years.  It includes cost estimates and secured or planned revenue sources for each project.


Jefferson County Public Works issued a press release this week that pertains to the proposed TIP and upcoming public hearing.


Visit the Jefferson County website TIP page for more information and access to documents and maps.


You are welcome to comment on this blog.  In order for your comment to reach the BoCC as part of the public hearing and TIP adoption process, please email the Commissioners directly.

6-year TIP adopted for 2010-2015

Conceptual rendering of the future Rick Tollefson Trail connecting Chimacum and Port Hadlock through the Chimacum Valley. The preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisiton, and construction for this project is included in the 2010-2015 TIP.

On July 27, 2009, the Board of County Commissioners adopted through Resolution 42-09 a Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the period from 2010 through 2015. The TIP is a list of capital transportation projects that the County anticipates undertaking in the next six years, including identified funding sources for each project. Visit the TIP page for more information and access to documents and maps.

Hood Canal Bridge Open to Traffic

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) re-opened the Hood Canal Bridge to traffic late in the evening of June 3, 2009, eight days ahead of schedule. The Bridge had been closed since May 1 for major repairs. WSDOT issued a press release regarding the re-opening.

The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader has a story with quotes from some of the first drivers to cross the new, improved Bridge.

For more information on the project and access to photographs, visit hoodcanalbridge.com.

Hood Canal Bridge Closed - Where Can I Get Info?

On May 1, 2009, at 12:01 AM, the Hood Canal Bridge was closed to traffic for an estimated six weeks.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is managing the project and has a project website at HoodCanalBridge.com. The site includes links to a travel options page, an interactive transit map, a printable travel options map, the schedule and reservation protocol for the special Edmonds-Port Townsend twilight ferry, and a Bridge closure blog for the public.

You can also get updated traffic information on the project traffic webpage and sign up for email traffic alerts about situations as they develop on alternate routes such as US 101 and SR 3.

Visit the project Flickr page for pictures of the construction work, including the removal of old Bridge sections.

For local information related to the closure and travel options, visit JeffConnections.com and see the "Discover Your Own Backyard" closure survival guide published by The Leader newspaper. Jefferson Transit also has a printable two-page pamphlet concerning the closure.

Intersection Status:

The intersection of Paradise Bay Road and SR 104 just west of the Bridge will be in operation during the closure. However, SR 104 will be closed 1.2 miles west of the Bridge, between Scenic View Lane and Garten Road, so that WSDOT can install a new culvert. The preferred route for detoured traffic will be SR 19 to Oak Bay Road to Paradise Bay Road. Local traffic may choose others routes, keeping in mind that SR 104 will be closed at that location (milepost 12.7).

Time for some CLEAN-TEA

On March 11, 2009, the Clean Low-Emissions Affordable New Transportation Equity Act, known as CLEAN-TEA for short, was introduced in Congress as the next transportation Federal aid package.

Senators Carper (D-DE) and Specter (R-PA) and Reps. Blumenauer (D-OR), Tauscher (D-CA), and LaTourette (R-OH) are the lead sponsors of S. 575 in the Senate and H.R. 1329 in the House. CLEAN-TEA would be the latest in a line of Federal aid transportation packages that began with the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, and have included recent reauthorizations known as ISTEA (1991, pronounced "ice tea"), TEA-21 (1998), and SAFETEA-LU (2005), the current act which expires on September 30, 2009.

Some had speculated that the next package would be called "GREEN-TEA," but it looks like "CLEAN-TEA" won out in the end.)

Read the press release from Representative Blumenauer for the perspective of one of the sponsors.

Alternatively, there is a one-page PDF summary from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and a two-page factsheet from Smart Growth America that focuses on the relationship between CLEAN-TEA and reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). (From their website: "Smart Growth America is a coalition of national, state and local organizations working to improve the ways we plan and build the towns, cities and metro areas we call home.")

You can follow the Senate version here and the House version here as the bills go through the legislative process.

In leading up to development of a new transportation package, a National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission released a report concerning the challenges we face as as nation with respect to maintaining and improving our transportation infrastructure.

Whatever the final Federal transportation aid package, it will have significant effects on the national , state and local transportation system for years to come.

Jefferson County receives "stimulus" funds for transportation improvement

The Washington State Department of Transportation informed Public Works via letter dated March 11, 2009 that Jefferson County is to receive $358,000 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to apply toward a two-mile ashphalt overlay project on Center Road.

The ARRA funds are at 100% (i.e., require no local match). The County will also apply other Federal funds through the Surface Transportation Program regional allocation (with a 13.5% local match) to complete the project.

The ARRA transportation improvement funds channeled through the State of Washington are for "shovel ready" projects. The Center Road overlay (phase 4) will be completed in 2009. The asphalt overlay will rehabilitate and preserve the roadway section between milepost 2.3 and milepost 4.3. Center Road is classified as a Rural Major Collector and a T-3 Freight and Goods route.

More information about ARRA-funded transportation improvements can be found on the Federal Highway Adminstration website.