MINUTES FROM THE PEDESTRIAN & TRAFFIC SAFETY MEETING & WORKSHOP
Wednesday May 22, 2019
Call to Order: 1:35pm Adjourned: 3:15pm
Meeting Held at: Hoodsport Timberland Library – Hoodsport, WA 98548
Port Attendance: Commissioner Petz- Chair, Commissioner Brazil, K. Wyatt, Port Operations Manager, B. Osborne, Port Maintenance, S. Lindgren, Port Maintenance
Speakers: Commissioner Mike Petz – Port of Hoodsport, Dennis Engel, WSDOT P.E. Multimodal Planning Manager, Loretta Swanson, Dave Smith -Mason County Public Works
Public: Jan Morris-Hardware Distillery, Barbara Gray, Ruth B. Hoodsport Coffee Company, Donna Feldman & Kelly Hart-Hoodsport Library and others
Summation: The Port of Hoodsport arranged a Forum on behalf of WSDOT who asked if they could conduct a “Charette” workshop where concerned citizens and business owners could address specific Pedestrian Safety concerns affecting the downtown Hoodsport Hwy 101 thoroughfare. The purpose of the ‘Charette’ workshop is to collect information based on concerns expressed by the community, proposed solutions by everyone, concluded with a summary report that can be used as a formal informational attachment for an application to obtain funding. WSDOT brought large Google earth maps of the Hwy 101 corridor going through downtown Hoodsport so the public could identify problem areas and mark on the map with pens and post its what their concerns, opinions and suggestions were.
Port Commissioner Petz thanked WSDOT for the work they have done since our meetings started in 2012 on Highway 101 in the downtown Hoodsport corridor. In the last 8 years, WSDOT posted 2-hour parking signs, trimmed bushes along Hwy 101 in front of the library to allow for parking and a walkway for pedestrians; and moved the crosswalk from in front of the Model T restaurant to the North side of State Rt 119 in front of the Burger Stand.
The Port of Hoodsport’s commission along with the community have been in discussion with WSDOT regarding traffic calming & pedestrian crosswalk devices since for 7 years. Most recently, Pedestrian & Speed concerns have been brought to the attention of Mason County Public Works and the Mason County Commission after a long-time local resident was hit by a car while crossing Hwy 101 in a crosswalk. As the Port of Hoodsport has exhausted all efforts and does not have funding nor the staff to pursue traffic calming device implementation; Commissioner Petz officially handed over the task of overseeing the pedestrian safety issue with WSDOT to the Mason County Commission, Sharon Trask and Kevin Shutty who will pick up where the port left off.
Dennis Engel said the report from the Charette would be done within two months, they would send it to the Port commission for accuracy then release it to the County Commission for future use in obtaining funding for traffic calming devices. Dennis also suggested to the public that they go through the ‘Adopt a Highway’ program so they could maintain a portion of the highway.
Adjourn: Commissioner Brazil made a motion to adjourn the Pedestrian Safety workshop, Commissioner Petz seconded, it was unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 3:15pm.
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Commissioner Petz Commissioner Brazil