Highway 101 Intersection Improvements Project - UPDATE

October 7, 2011

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has taken this project back to the drawing board and re-examined the purpose and scope of the improvements to Highway 101 as proposed in October of 2010. Recent efforts included updating the traffic counts and projections done in 2007 on 101 and the intersecting county roads.  The 2011 counts resulted in a revised and reduced forecast for future growth.

The Tribe also solicited input from the Washington State Department of Transportation and Clallam County about the public comments generated from the 2010 open house. Based on revised analyses and public comment, these agencies collectively agreed to put the project as proposed on hold. 

Traffic and pedestrian safety remain the focus of road improvements in Blyn. With these objectives in mind, several smaller improvement projects are under consideration.   Near term improvements of the Chicken Coop and Zaccardo Road intersection, always a part of the larger project, can be accomplished as a stand-alone project. The Tribe is studying the possibility of combining these two intersections into one, improving both access to Highway 101 and safety.. 

An additional project involving Old Blyn Highway was identified during the public comment period. Adding “traffic calming” structures such as speed tables, rumble strips, landscape enhancements, speed limit warning signs and pedestrian activated signs and lights are under serious consideration to address the speed and volume of traffic in the vicinity of the Tribal campus.

Engineering and permitting plans are being independently developed for both projects. Pending funding availability and permitting approvals construction could begin as early as 2012.

A public meeting for the Chicken Coop/Zaccardo Road Intersection project will be forthcoming. For questions, or to schedule a meeting with Tribal and/or consulting staff, please call Annette Nesse, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal COO, @ (360) 681-4620.

Thank you for your interest in the U.S. 101 Intersection Improvements-East Sequim Bay project. The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has been actively involved with considering how to address traffic safety and mobility concerns in the vicinity of the Tribal campus facilities in Blyn.  Our original intent was to attempt to decrease the amount of traffic passing by the north Tribal campus along Old Blyn Highway to offer a safer vehicle and pedestrian experience for Tribal citizens, staff, local residents and visitors to the Tribal campus.  This objective included considering new intersections of existing county roads with Highway 101 as well as proposing a new intersection east of the campus. 

The preliminary pre-engineering and design scope of work was developed and then funded in 2005 with BIA Indian Reservation Road (IRR) funds in the High Priority Projects category of assistance.  Additional work was funded in 2009 to allow the environmental assessment work to proceed.  The Tribe hired the consulting firm, Parametrix, to begin to develop the project. The Tribe worked closely with Clallam County, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the BIA to conduct an intensive alternatives analysis including 16 different options.  The pros and cons of each were evaluated and the option that scored the highest was then proposed to the public.  The highest scoring option includes the elimination of direct left turns to and from US 101 at several intersections and the introduction of indirect-left turns (i.e., U-turns). ; (Click here to see Map of Alternative 15 Indirect Left Turns - US 101 East Interchange)

Initial meetings were conducted in July 2010 with landowners whose property abutted the project.  A public open house was held where the broader community in the Blyn-East Sequim Bay Road area was individually invited; a public announcement in the local papers was published as well.

The open house was held on October 6, 2010 with both Tribal and Parametrix staff on hand to answer questions and address concerns.  A comment form was provided to capture the public’s view of the proposed alternative.  To-date, many written, email and verbal comments have been received and recorded in the project record. (Click here for the Open House Information)

The project is still in the planning phase and we value the public input to our decision-making process.  We are carefully reviewing the comments we’re receiving and developing options for addressing the comments.   Once we are certain that we’ve received most comments, we will meet with WSDOT and Clallam County to strategize next steps.  Please understand that, given the many concerns expressed about the indirect-left turns, this may take some time.

Summary of Open House Comments

This summary of open house comments is not intended to detail each and every comment received.  Instead, it provides a more general overview as next steps are considered.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide the public with the opportunity to:

·     Learn about the road improvements being considered

·     Understand why these improvements are needed

·     Hear about the process that led to these proposed improvements and the process still to come

·     Speak one-on-one with project staff

·     Ask questions and provide comments to help guide the process

·     Sign up for updates

·     Learn about future public involvement opportunities and next steps

The meeting was held from 4 to 7 PM at the Tribe’s Administrative Building, 1031 Old Blyn Highway.  Approximately 84 people signed in, and 30 comment forms and 15 emails have been received from 39 different individuals as of October 15, 2010. 

The summary that follows is based on a review of the comment forms, as well as emailed comments also submitted.

How did people hear about the meeting?

Roughly two-thirds of the people who submitted comment forms indicated they heard about the meeting because of the postcard mailing.  Some people heard about the meeting through neighbors.  Very few people saw the newspaper announcements.

Do people want future updates?

Almost everyone who submitted comment forms responded that they would like future project updates.

What did people say about the meeting format and how information was presented?

Only a handful of people provided comments on this topic.  Of those who provided comments, most were appreciative of the format, information, location, and staff support.  One would have appreciated written information to take home.  Another disagreed with some of the content, particularly relating to traffic.  One person felt that the schematic of turning movements was deceiving, because it was not to scale.

Where do most of the people who commented live?

Of the people who submitted comment forms and provided addresses, over 90 percent live out East Sequim Bay Road.

What were the most common themes in the comments?

Most of the comments pertained to proposed turning movements:

·    Over 70 percent of the people who submitted comments did not like the idea of indirect left turning movements (i.e., U-turns).  Many of these people felt that indirect lefts would be less safe because there would be more conflict points.  Many of these people especially wanted to retain left turns from eastbound US 101 to Blyn Crossing and East Sequim Bay Road.  Some of these people felt there has to be a more cost-effective solution.

·    Additional ideas included:

o    An interchange, underpass, or overpass is a better solution than indirect lefts.

o    A signalized intersection along US 101 is a better solution than indirect lefts.

o    The better solution is making US 101 four lanes all the way to Port Angeles.

o    A center turn lane along US 101 is a better solution.

·    One person was concerned about how traffic westbound on US 101 would turn onto Woods Road.

·    A few people felt that more intersections should be looked at (e.g., the intersection of Old Blyn Highway with US 101 further east).

·    A few people were concerned about the ability of bigger vehicles (e.g., trucks, trailers, emergency vehicles, school buses) to use the indirect lefts.

·     One person was concerned about the occasional visitor’s (e.g., tourist) ability to navigate the turns.

Other comments included:

·     Six people requested that the existing access from East Sequim Bay to Old Blyn Highway through the tribal campus remain open, noting that the drive is very enjoyable.

·     Five people suggested that there must be a more cost-effective and simple solution to addressing the issues than what is being proposed.

·     Additional things to consider are effects on or of transit, pedestrian safety, community culture, ecological resources, access and transportation during construction, emergency response times, a compromise of the viewscape and effects on wildlife due to new lighting, potential speeds along a straighter East Sequim Bay Road, home businesses, fuel consumption, new impervious surfaces, and sense of neighborhood.

·     A handful of people felt that there is no need for the project and that it  is being pursued due to tribal interests rather than public benefit.

What did we hear as we talked to people and what observations can we make?

·     Most people were okay with the realigned East Sequim Bay Road with two conditions:  (1) maintain eastbound left turns from US 101 to Blyn Crossing and East Sequim Bay Road, and (2) maintain alternative access through the tribal campus, providing traffic calming if needed.

·     People generally did not like the indirect left turns.  Because most of the meeting attendees live out East Sequim Bay Road, the addition of a left turn lane from eastbound US 101 at that location satisfied most people.  Other people who would be affected by the access changes (e.g., along Deer Hawk, Chicken Coop, Zaccardo) were not represented at the meeting.

Next Steps

Tribal and consultant staff will be meeting with Clallam       County and WSDOT early in 2011 to discuss public  comments and determine next steps.  This website will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.  Please feel free to complete a comment form at any time.  Also, project staff is available to answer questions. (Click here for the comment form)

Lead Tribal Staff

Annette Nesse

Chief Operations Officer

Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

360-681-4620

anesse@jamestowntribe.org

Lead Consultant Staff

Happy Longfellow, P.E.

Parametrix

425-458-6336

hlongfellow@parametrix.com