West Kitsap Way Planning Study

About Kitsap Way

Kitsap Way, between SR 3 and Chico Way NW, provides access to homes, businesses, and parks and connects people between Bremerton and locations to the north in Kitsap County.

Originally designed as a highway, Kitsap Way has since been replaced by SR 3, which is a parallel corridor for people driving. Approximately 11,000 vehicles each day travel on this west segment of Kitsap Way.

Today, the Kitsap Way corridor has several transportation issues that limit its benefit to the community:

• the pavement is old and cracked.
• there are limited sidewalks.
• there are no bicycle facilities (e.g., bike lanes).
• it has inadequate crosswalk locations for people walking, rolling, biking, or accessing transit.
• the multiple lanes and wide shoulders encourage people to drive at high speeds.

Cars driving around curve on Kitsap Way

Cars at the intersection near businesses along Kitsap Way

Purpose of this Planning Study

The City of Bremerton is taking a fresh look at the corridor and how Kitsap Way can better meet the current and future needs of the community.

The West Kitsap Way Planning Study will determine the future design of the 1.5-mile segment of Kitsap Way between SR 3 and Chico Way NW. This study will develop a set of recommendations to improve safety, add pedestrian and bicycle facilities (such as bike lanes and sidewalks), increase access to transit, enhance access to properties, and accommodate future traffic growth.

The City of Bremerton was awarded a federal Surface Transportation Program grant via the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) to conduct this transportation study to identify and plan for corridor improvements.

Study Considerations

Study Area

Study Goals

The West Kitsap Way Planning Study will:

• Examine existing and future needs of all transportation modes along Kitsap Way between Chico Way NW/Northlake Way NW and SR 3.
• Evaluate and develop solutions that serve all transportation modes and meet the community’s needs along the corridor.
• Develop a preliminary design, a planning level cost estimate, and an implementation plan.

The final design and construction of the corridor will occur as funding becomes available. The City of Bremerton may implement the improvements with a phased approach.

Timeline

• In late 2022, the project team will conduct an online open house, and other outreach activities, analyze existing conditions and model future traffic operations.
• In early 2023, the project team will develop alternatives, begin preliminary design, and develop cost estimates. The project team will present alternatives at a second open house.
• In mid-2023, the project team will present the recommended alternative at a third open house, and then focus on the prioritization and phasing of preferred improvements. A final report will be prepared for the City Council’s approval.
• This project will wrap up towards the end of 2023.

Community Engagement