I live in “rural Port Ludlow” south of Highway 104 on Thorndyke Road. 

When we built our house in the Trails End community in 1999, it really was pretty rural, with the exception of the Bridgehaven Community up the hill from us. In that 20-plus years, we have gone from being one of about eight homes on our block to one of 18 or so — no empty lots on the “view” side of the road, and only about four on the “non-view” side. Almost everyone is retired. Most have a pet or two.

Most of us walk in the mornings for exercise. Thorndyke is two lanes wide, but has minimal shoulders, most of which are mown weeds or the edges of people’s lawns. In other words, no firm place to step to if you need to get off the road in a hurry. 

Thorndyke also seems to be the throughway for dozens of pickup trucks heading for home further down the Toandos/Thorndyke/Coyle Peninsula (don’t know what it’s called — pick a map!). Thorndyke also is the most direct route to any logging going on down that same peninsula, much of it owned by, I believe, Pope Resources. Our neighborhood — from the northern edge of Bridgehaven to about two miles south of Thorndyke Creek — is posted at 30 mph. Most of us residents go 30 mph. 

The trucks mentioned (both private and commercial) average, at a guess, 50 mph or more. The deputies know they can collect 10 or a dozen tickets in an hour or two. 

Those of us who walk need to be nimble — not so easy when you’re in your 70s.

If you see yourself in this letter — please have a care for the residents!

Kathryn Bates
PORT LUDLOW