Kitsap - SEABECK HWY

Seabeck Highway is located in the northwestern portion of unincorporated Kitsap county. The genesis of the roadway dates back 85 years ago, when the L.C. Peck Construction Company scooped the first shovel of dirt marking the beginning of Seabeck Road and the first “Farm-to-Market” construction project in Washington State. Seabeck Highway provides arterial access to three county parks, one state park, and several residential communities. It is an important and well-traveled route for many residents living in the Seabeck area and it provides access to the eastern side of the Hood Canal. Because Hood Canal borders much of the surrounding area the number of available access routes is reduced, increasing the importance of Seabeck Highway.

The project area is located along Seabeck Highway between Calamity Lane and Gross Road. This section of roadway had substandard shoulder width, deteriorated asphalt surfacing and the roadside drainage was inconsistent with no defined drainage course. The average daily traffic (ADT) is 5,205 with heavy truck ADT of 499. The intersection of Holly Road was identified as a major collision location. A traffic study conducted over a five year period recorded 28 accidents with 13 of those occurring at the intersection. Drivers also experienced longer than expected queues during peak operating hours. This was attributed to limited access routes and increased traffic volumes. Another important part of the project was to replace a 24-inch diameter deteriorating cross culvert to improve fish passage.

This project constructed 12-foot travel lanes with 6-foot paved and 2-foot gravel shoulders. A 12-foot long bottomless concrete structure replaced a 24-inch deteriorating concrete culvert. Also, water quality was improved by installing a new drainage system, including new catch basins and storm pipes. The intersection of Holly Road was evaluated by our traffic engineers who determined that roundabouts are an effective way to reduce the number of accidents and severity by directing traffic in a single direction. Conflict points are eliminated when traffic travels in a counter clockwise direction. Constructing a roundabout at the intersection of Seabeck Highway and Holly Road met the project goal of safety and was the key element of the larger project.
From the bid opening to the issuance of the project acceptance, this project moved forward in the spirit of collaboration, a partnership between the county, the contractor, and the utilities was established. Kitsap County Public Works provided a complete construction management team including survey, construction staking, material testing, inspection, and records management. Because of the exceptional communication the project was completed six weeks ahead of schedule and under budget.
Keeping the public informed throughout the project was critical. The Road Division has a full-time outreach coordinator, a communications specialist, and design team all working together to inform the public of this and other projects. We received several positive comments on the project. One resident wrote “Having lived through numerous road improvement projects near my residence over the past 30+ years, I would like to commend the contractor and county employees responsible for the Seabeck Highway project. The contractor in particular is the most well organized and professional working group that I have ever observed!”