It’s time to do something to improve the safety for pedestrians and cyclists on Admiralty Avenue; connecting San Juan with Spruce Street, W Street and Fort Worden. Much of it has absolutely no shoulder on either side. All of the street is narrow. The sloping right angle turn has chronic potholes and is essentially a blind curve. Many cars take this little road quite fast, surprises happen at the turn in both directions, also there is a a well used entrance/exit gate to Fort Worden right at that turn. Pedestrians and bicyclists are present. Deer roam between the forests. The street is dark, but that’s not the real problem. Too much is happening via this street year round to leave it in its present state. In the very least the single lane dotted lines as on Cook and Kuhn need to be painted down with signage too, maybe a speed bump or two too. Widening it is probably costly and that would only speed traffic up, not slow it down. I have previously written about this through the Leader and also sent letters to city council and the planning and public works departments, several years ago. Nothing has changed, even the inside corner pothole is chronic regardless of attempted repairs. Where Admiralty meets San Juan a crosswalk was recently, a couple of years ago, added. Unfortunately it’s in the wrong place, most people cross from the north corner, not this south side spot that isn’t even on the corner. Two crosswalks are needed, one crossing Admiralty and one crossing San Juan from the north corner of Admiralty. There have been accidents in this area numerous times, with severe injuries. The Admiralty problem is known, city, please paint in those dotted lines and add a few speed bumps, fix the cross walk too, maybe have three, the existing and two new. Paint could do a lot to improve this major connector in the north part of our busy pedestrian, bike and quick car town.

Bill Dentzel

Port Townsend