CARLSBORG — A $90 million project to widen U.S. Highway 101 to four lanes between Shore and Kitchen-Dick roads will have some new safety features that motorists will have to get used to: right-turns-only off county roads, with six U-turns.
That means motorists will have to turn right from Shore Road, Dryke Road and Kitchen-Dick Road onto Highway 101 and travel farther to U-turns to turn around and head into the opposite direction.
There already is such a U-turn east of Deer Park Road on 101.
Also, two businesses must be moved, and up to eight residential units could be relocated, according to the assessments of the project,which is expected to begin in summer 2012 and be completed in 2014.
Safety U-turns
Department of Transportation Project Engineer Steve Fuchs said the safety U-turns were perhaps the most contentious part of the 3.5-mile 101 redesign.
“You have such high traffic volumes on 101,” Fuchs said, that it will become too dangerous for motorists to take left turns and cross the highway to beat oncoming traffic without an increase in collisions.
The changes are planned for an increase in traffic more than 20 years ahead, he said.
Fuchs was one of several state Transportation officials on-hand to answer residents’ questions Thursday night during an open house at Greywolf Elementary School that featured aerial photos and illustrations of the project’s features and path.
Shore Road-area resident Dianne Onnen said she was somewhat concerned about having to turn right off Shore Road onto the new highway to make a U-turn at Lewis Road to go to work in Sequim.
“I will be driving even farther than I have to drive, but I understand why they are doing it,” she said, adding that it is already dangerous to make a left turn off Shore Road to the eastbound lane of 101 to Sequim.
Carlsborg residents Dale and Ginger Nichols said they both liked the new highway design.
Calling it long overdue, she said she was happy to hear that McDonald Creek Bridge would be replaced with two two-lane spans of 300 feet.
A foot span will be built under the bridge so pedestrians can cross 101 under the bridges, helping them safely cross from bus stops.
Relocate businesses
The project, which still has right-of-way to acquire and a contractor construction contract to award, would require the relocation of two businesses on the south side of the existing highway: Midway Metals near Barr Road and PA Swimmin’ Hole and Fireplace near Dryke Road.
Rights-of-way on some 70 parcels must be acquired to clear way for the project, Fuchs said.
The project adds an additional lane in each direction of U.S. Highway 101, creating a continuous four-lane divided highway between Sequim and Port Angeles.
Alleviate congestion
The additional lanes are expected to help alleviate congestion for the 19,000 vehicles that travel the route daily.
A median will separate the four east-west lanes to reduce the potential for head-on crashes.
The actual roadwork is planned to happen mostly south of the existing highway, Fuchs said, shifting to the north side about 1,000 feet east of the Dryke-Pierson roads’ 101 intersection, tying in with the existing four-lane highway east of Kitchen-Dick Road.
That will allow preservation of some Owl Creek wetlands just west of Kitchen-Dick Road and south of the existing highway, he said.
The state Department of Transportation recently completed its environmental assessment and found no significant effects of the project.
The final determination of potential environmental effects will be made by the Federal Highway Administration after the environmental assessment is issued, an environmental hearing is held and comments received from the public, agencies and tribes are given careful consideration.
Transportation is accepting comments on the environmental assessment until March 31.
Comments can be made at http://tinyurl.com/4sxugvv or by phoning 360-570-6660 or 888-323-7732.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
