From lights to a loop, the Kearney Street and Sims Way intersection is set to change from a four-way intersection to a roundabout.

The Port Townsend City Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday, Jan. 3 authorizing the city to work with the Washington State Department of Transportation on the project, with the city receiving a $73,000 grant from the state.

The new convergence will become more than just a roundabout, as city staff plan to build out a bike path and rain garden where the right turn lane from Kearney to Sims is currently located, put in a sidewalk on the Food Coop side of Kearney Street, and bring more tweaks to the intersection.

The project is expected to cost $551,400, although $476,900 will be provided by federal and WSDOT monies while the city will contribute $74,500.

One of the biggest costs the city is responsible for are two pedestrian flashing lights for Sims Way.

All in all, the roundabout conversion is aimed at reducing standstill traffic on the busy roadway while reducing the likelihood of car collisions.

“Once the roundabout’s there, it provides for more free-flow traffic,” Public Works Director Steve King said in the meeting.

Discussing the right turn lane from Kearney to Sims, King said: “The angle of approach on Jefferson Street to Sims, if you’ve got a really flexible neck, you still have to do this,” he said, gesturing the precarious leftward look needed to merge onto Sims from the turn.

“It’s way out of standard,” King added.

The right turn lane is set change to change to a bike path with more green space for pedestrians.

While councilmembers expressed positive sentiments to the traffic reduction and public safety elements of the new convergence design, the local lawmakers expressed a need to inform the public via signage or other means on proper roundabout conduct.

“I know there’ll be some public crankiness about this,” said Councilmember Libby Wennstrom. “And I think having some public information, whether it’s good signage or a good thing on the website, you can point people to.”

“I use the roundabouts quite a bit on Sims Way and I don’t know what the hell to do,” quipped Councilmember Ben Thomas.

King said the city will ask state transportation officials about posting signage at the intersection.

The city worked with the state throughout 2022 to design a roundabout that worked for the oval-shaped section.

“It was a unique design that WSDOT had to come up with. It’s a little bit oval or oblong [shaped],” King said. “There’s like 40 different circle radiuses in that from a geometric standpoint.”

Port Townsend Mayor David Faber lauded the switch to a roundabout.

“I’m very pleased to see this moving forward,” Faber said. “I’m a big defender of roundabouts.”

Roundabouts reduce the likelihood and severity of traffic accidents, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from idling vehicles, and lessen maintenance costs associated with traffic lights, Faber said.

“Just generally, they’re more fun to drive in,” he added.

As for the timeline, the city is expecting to advertise for construction bids in January and February, with work expected to begin in April or May.

The project work will require detours around the intersection and some temporary closures during construction. Work on the roundabout will be suspended during the Rhody Festival in May.