PORT TOWNSEND – Upper Sims Way would never look the same, gaining solid medians that limit left turns to two cross streets and roadside green belts that integrate parallel parking and pedestrian walkways.
It’s only a conceptual plan, city officials stress, one that would be added to the design already approved by the City Council for roundabouts at the Sims intersections of Howard and Thomas street.
“Based on comments, we’ll fine-tune the design,” said City Engineer David Peterson.
Comments from business and property owners, residents and City Council members will be gleaned from Monday’s 5 p.m. public open house and 6:30 p.m. Monday City Council workshop at the USO Building at Fort Worden State Park
Public comments and concerns will be noted and addressed, but answers may not be available until after design work is completed, city officials said.
After incorporating the comments, city staffers are expected to return with a revised draft plan in February for more public viewing and discussion.
The often-heated Upper Sims debate, most of it over customer access to businesses, entered a cooling-off period after the City Council approved roundabouts for Sims instead of traffic signals in mid-June.
It was a decision that left many business owners upset and wondering about what the future held for their establishments.
Peterson said that, because Sims Way is the state Highway 20 access connecting to the Washington State Ferries terminal downtown, the state Department of Transportation has weighed in on the Sims Way plan.
It is on record as being in support of turn lanes within mid-street medians, crosswalks and on-street parking.
