CHOKEPOINTS

Bremerton’s aging infrastructure getting much needed renovations

Jul 26, 2016, 7:06 AM | Updated: 8:40 am

The City of Bremerton will start several new pedestrian safety projects in the near future. (Chris ...

The City of Bremerton will start several new pedestrian safety projects in the near future. (Chris Sullivan/KIRO Radio)

(Chris Sullivan/KIRO Radio)

A lot of Bremerton’s infrastructure hasn’t received too much TLC since being further developed around World War II. But with all the new developments downtown and around the city, its infrastructure is in desperate need of an upgrade.

Project manager Gus Brandon-Garcia in the city’s Public Works department says there are a lot of safety projects now underway to help make the city more pedestrian friendly. That work includes several intersection improvements that will make them ADA compliant. Additionally, the city will get two new pedestrian hybrid beacons.

Tell us about a Chokepoint

Those hybrid signals will go in next to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The signals are activated by pedestrians attempting to cross busy streets, and will be especially handy with all the shipyard workers coming and going.

There are as many as 20,000 people who commute to and from the shipyard every day. The number of people leaving at the end of the work day reminds Brandon-Garcia of huge a crowd of Mariners fans exiting Safeco Field.

Brandon-Garcia says they were able to get grant money to build these projects.

The city is also starting a major renovation of a lifeline through East Bremerton. Lebo Boulevard connects a hospital with the business district and several neighborhoods. It’s also the way to Lions Park, one of Kitsap County’s nicest mixed-use park.

“It’s a roadway that’s, again, lived its functional life,” Brandon-Garcia said. “It’s probably 75 years old. It was built during the second World War.”

It’s going to get new pavement and new lights. It’s also going to get some bike lanes and much larger sidewalks to accommodate the growing population.

Construction is set to begin on this project early next year.

Chokepoints

lane sweeping...

Chris Sullivan

Sullivan: Lane sweeping is all too common and needs to stop

This is called lane sweeping and let me be crystal clear -- what that driver did to me is 100% illegal for multiple reasons.

5 days ago

Photo: The Nisqually River Bridge will be cleaned this weekend as I-5 sees road work....

Nate Conners, KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

Weekend road work: The bridges working against traffic flow

The Nisqually River Bridge is set to get its annual cleaning this weekend.

12 days ago

520 tolling...

Chris Sullivan

Expanded SR 520 tolling going down to wire in Olympia

Do you want funding for 520 or do you want lower gas prices? That's what the campaign against the citizen's initiative is expected to be.

12 days ago

sound transit parking...

Chris Sullivan

Sound Transit parking changes on the way

Sound Transit can and will check to see if you're meeting those benchmarks for parking, and you could be denied if you fail to meet them.

14 days ago

Image: After an I-5 south vehicle crash on Sunday, March 3, 2024, a traffic sign the Washington Sta...

Steve Coogan

I-5 south vehicle crash that killed pedestrian snarled traffic near Marysville

One person was killed in an accident on Interstate 5 south involving a vehicle and a pedestrian, the Washington State Patrol reported Sunday.

15 days ago

South 216th Street Bridge...

Nate Connors

I-5 near SeaTac closing this weekend at South 216th Street Bridge

The South 216th Street Bridge in SeaTac has nearly completed the installation of its concrete girders -- a heavy beam to support the deck of a bridge.

17 days ago

Bremerton’s aging infrastructure getting much needed renovations