PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County commissioners voted Tuesday to try to please half the people half the time with an increased speed limit on Diamond Point Road.
They approved increasing the limit — currently 35 mph for the road’s whole length — to 40 mph on its straight stretch north from U.S. Highway 101 to Cat Lake Road.
The remainder, as it winds north to its namesake point of land, will stay at 35.
At a public hearing last week and in written messages to commissioners, about half the people testifying wanted the speed limit raised to 45 mph for the entire road.
The other half, citing its 90-degree turn from north to east and its rural character, wanted to keep it at 35 mph.
Clallam County revises speed limits on its roads once a year. The Diamond Point request was rare in that it sought an increase, not a decrease.
Driving the request was the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department often posting a speed enforcement cruiser on the southern portion of the road.
Never fast enough?
“You know there’s a radar unit sitting in the bushes down there somewhere,” said Kevin Fitzgerald, a resident of nearby Lupine Drive.
But Kim Martin — a sheriff’s volunteer who helps set up the radar trailer that warns drivers of excessive speed — said, “It seems that in the mentality of most people, it never will be fast enough.”
Fitzgerald and Martin were among a dozen people who testified at the Dec. 16 hearing.
While David Smith of Rhododendron Drive said driving Diamond Point Road at 35 mph took only a minute longer than the requested 45 mph, Ted Shanks of North Street said 35 mph was “way too slow, and it makes that road unsafe” because of drivers who tailgate or pass slower cars illegally.
Ross Tyler, Clallam County engineer, said speed studies on three legs of the road showed the 85th percentile speeds were 49.4 mph, 48.4 mph and 43 mph.
Traffic experts use the 85th percentile of drivers as the speed that probably is safe for most conditions.
‘We can compromise’
But when it came to a decision, Commissioner Steve Tharinger, D-Dungeness — in whose district Diamond Point Road runs — said, “I think this is a case where people are going too fast.”
Tharinger said he’d talked to people on both sides of the issue and drove the road himself.
“I think there’s a real concern about increasing that speed in that second section [north of Cat Lake Road].
“I think we can compromise here.”
Chapman and Commissioner Mike Doherty agreed.
Commissioners also approved reducing from 35 mph to 25 mph the speed limit on Old Blyn Highway from the Olympic Discovery Trail to East Sequim Bay Road
In other action Tuesday, commissioners:
•âÇRevised a land use license with the state Department of Natural Resources for the Adventure Route segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail.
The license will qualify the county for a $100,00 state grant to build more trail.
•âÇRenewed a $290,000 contract with the North Olympic Visitor and Convention Bureau.
Tharinger said the bureau had done a good job advertising the area to the heavily populated Interstate 5 corridor during an economic downturn.
“Our hotel/motel revenues have been flat or a little bit up,” he said, thanks to the VCB campaign.
•âÇExtended contracts for the Dungeness Aquifer Storage and Recovery Feasibility Study.
•âÇAccepted a $9,000 increase to a $30,000 grant to implement water-use rules in Water Resource Inventory Area 18.
•âÇRenewed an agreement to share facilities with Family Planning of Clallam County.
•âÇAdjusted salary schedules for elected officials. The only official effected by the new ranges and steps is Sheriff Bill Benedict, who will receive a 5 percent raise of $337 a month.
•âÇApproved leasing from Robert and Nancy German 10,000 square feet of warehouse space in Port Angeles for $2,500 for sheriff’s property and evidence storage.
•âÇAgreed to lease space for the sheriff in the Sequim Police Department headquarters for $1,000 a month.
•âÇRenewed a contract with San Juan County to house juveniles in detention in Clallam County’s Port Angeles facility.
•âÇApproved an airport overlay zone for areas near Sequim Valley Airport, and set a public hearing for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 6 on extending interim land use controls pending action by the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board.
In addition, commissioners made these appointments to advisory boards and committees:
•âÇCrescent Community Advisory Committee: Margaret Owen, Barbara Nelson, Whitley Barnes and Laura Williams (alternate).
•âÇDevelopmental Disabilities Advisory Committee: Michael Olson.
• Heritage Advisory Board: Alice Alexander, Larry Burtness and Laura Maroney.
•âÇHousing Authority of Clallam County: Cheri Fleck.
•âÇLodging Tax Advisory Committee: Sande Balch and Bobbi Fuller.
•âÇPublic Health Advisory Committee: Virginia Clark.
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Reporter Jim Casey can be reached at 360-417-3538 or at jim.casey@ peninsuladailynews.com.
