Third Street traffic Town Council focus
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August 19, 2020
TAKE IT AWAY – Monday a second rental pump, no longer needed, was being returned as part of the Caledonia Street pump station replacement project. Todd Park, foreman, center, was doing his supervising duty while Manuel Pena, right, did the heavy lifting. The project is about 30omplete, estimates Brian Lease, public works director. –Photo by Ken Stern
A bump in the road is usually seen as a setback or annoying obstacle.
In La Conner, on heavily traveled North Third Street, a bump in the road could be a welcome addition for residents concerned about traffic safety in their neighborhood.
Installing an elongated speed bump, similar to those used at the Peace Arch U.S.-Canada border crossing in Blaine, is just one option to slow down traffic on the main arterial to the Port of Skagit’s La Conner Marina.
Traffic safety on North Third, which has been a recurring topic, resurfaced during a video-conferenced Town Council meeting Aug. 11.
North Third resident Galina Free spoke to the Council about what she termed “significant safety concerns” related to increased commercial traffic and speeding vehicles driving past homes along the street.
“I’m concerned about the safety of children and residents,” said Free, who expressed fears that vehicles – including large trucks – could veer into driveways off North Third across from the entrance to the La Conner Marina south basin parking lot.
“Cars are coming out of there fast,” Free said.
Town leaders validated those concerns.
“This substantiates other complaints I’ve heard,” said Council member Mary Wohleb. “I walk that (area) all the time. It’s scary.”
The Council addressed pros and cons of various “traffic calming” measures.
Town Public Works Director Brian Lease warned stop signs require lengthy traffic studies prior to being approved for installation.
Town Administrator Scott Thomas said standard speed bumps are especially hard on emergency vehicles.
“Speed bumps literally kill fire trucks,” he said.
Traffic strips can wear down quickly and are often damaged by snowplows, said Thomas.
He called traffic enforcement the most effective measure but there are added patrol costs.
Councilmember Bill Stokes suggested solar-powered speed limit reader-boards as “the most cost-effective thing we can do in the short-term.”
Mayor Ramon Hayes focused on speed bumps that taper from road level to a flattened top over a longer than standard distance.
“I think we need to look at speed bumps like the ones on the border,” Hayes told the Weekly News on Thursday. “They’re elongated and effective for commercial and regular traffic. And it’s a one-time expense.”
While the Council did not take immediate action on the North Third Street matter, Town officials are not applying the brakes, either. Hayes said the Council will revisit the issue in detail in October.
The Council did pass the Washington Model Traffic Ordinance, assigning the public works director to be the Town’s traffic engineer. It also tasks the public works department with designating parking spaces and loading zones around town.
“This,” Thomas said, “allows the Town to be more proactive in addressing a bunch of traffic issues.
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