Dear Bainbridge Islanders,
Earlier this week, we faced some of the typical challenges of our Pacific Northwest winter. While the amount of snow was manageable, the cold temperatures and compacted ice made travel difficult for a day or so. During that time, our Public Works employees and Police Department were hard at work, starting in the early hours of Monday morning and throughout the following two days. Their extra effort is much appreciated and helped the road conditions to clear quickly once we had the benefit of some sunshine on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Situations like this weather event offer a good opportunity for City staff to work through coordination, response, and communication demands within a lower impact "emergency." From my perspective, we continue to benefit from very good staff communication between the City, the Fire Department, the school district and other partners. We also continue to identify areas we want to improve, and potential gaps in continuity. These are important learning experiences that leave us better prepared for the next event.
It's also important to recognize that during snow and ice events, the O&M staff has a
Snow and Ice Control Plan that includes priority streets for response; they focus first on the main roads then neighborhood streets. If you have a request for road maintenance during the storm, please send a message through the City's
SeeClickFix application or call O&M at 842-1212.
We, of course, always hope that power outages will be limited, especially during extremely cold weather. If the island does experience significant outages, please be aware that there are resources to assist in the case of safety concerns (see information below from our Emergency Management Coordinator Anne LeSage).
As I am writing this message, the
National Weather Service is forecasting that Kitsap County could get up to 6" of snow this weekend.I hope you will all take some time to prepare for this prospect and, if needed, will use caution. Please also stay tuned to our social media pages and Nixle notifications for important information about road conditions and other hazards. Nearly 8,300 people are currently subscribed to Nixle. If you would like to join this free service, please sign up
here.
Best wishes,
Morgan Smith
City Manager
|
Expect daytime delays during Agate Pass Bridge work Feb. 19-March 1
WSDOT crews will begin daytime work on the Agate Pass Bridge Tuesday, Feb. 19 and drivers should expect delays of 30 minutes or longer.
During the work, which is expected to last through Friday, March 1, the SR 305 Agate Pass Bridge will be reduced to one alternating lane of traffic at the following times:
- 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays
- 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 23-24 (Chilly Hilly is Sunday, Feb. 24)
During those times, WSDOT crews will be doing an in-depth bridge inspection. This regular checkup helps identify potential maintenance needs early.
For advance information about roadwork on state highways in Kitsap County, please check the WSDOT construction updates
here.
|
No-contact advisory issued for southern shoreline of Bainbridge Island due to sewage spill
A no-contact advisory was issued for the southern shoreline of Bainbridge Island due to a sewage spill. According to Kitsap County Sewer District 7 officials, about 2,100 gallons of sewage spilled on South Beach Drive Saturday, Feb. 2.
The Sewer District received a phone call from a homeowner on the waterfront to report that sewage was backing up through their home's sewer clean-out pipe located next to their home. The Sewer District 7 plant manager immediately responded and determined that the problem was that the lift station had stopped working. Further investigation revealed that both circuit breakers for the lift station's primary and back-up pumps had tripped. In addition, the phone alert system failed. After re-starting the lift station, the plant manager immediately alerted the Kitsap Public Health District.
During a no-contact advisory, the public is advised to avoid contact with the water in the affected area. This means the Public Health District recommends against swimming, wading, or types of water recreation or play where water could be swallowed or get in the mouth, nose or eyes. People should also avoid direct skin contact if possible, and immediately wash with soap and water if they have exposure to the water.
Signs have been posted in the immediate spill area and at public access points around the southern shoreline of Bainbridge Island.
|
Safety improvements coming soon on Olympic Drive
Ferry commuters: expect some changes soon on Olympic Drive (the street between the ferry terminal and SR 305). The City is beginning a project that's designed to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
This project includes widening the road to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists (including improved sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides), as well as an innovative uphill, left-turn bike lane. The work also includes construction of a retaining wall on the west side of the street, replacement of a watermain, crosswalk and traffic signal improvements at Harborview Drive, and bike boxes at the intersections of Winslow Way and Harborview Drive. The project also includes coordination with Puget Sound Energy to underground a portion of the existing powerlines.
There are restrictions when the construction crews can work along Olympic Drive. There cannot be any lane closures during the weekdays 5-8 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. and during holiday weekends. The project may require some night work.
The walking bridge over Ravine Creek to Waterfront Park is currently being rehabilitated and will be completed in time to provide an upgraded alternate route for bikes and pedestrians during construction.
Construction is expected to begin in April with completion scheduled for July. Staff will begin outreach in the community soon to let people know about the project timeline and new safety features. For more information, please visit the Olympic Drive project page.
|
Council seeking feedback on Marine Access Committee (MAC) recommendation for Open Water Marina
The City Council is looking for public input at the Feb. 12 business meeting on the Marine Access Committee's (MAC)
recommendation for a moorage plan in the Dave Ullin Open Water Marina (DUOWM) that accommodates 16 residential vessels.
According to MAC, the design it selected (diagram at left) should increase the width of the safety fairway at the southern edge of the lease area in order to improve safe navigation for rowing, kayaking, motor boating and other activities in Eagle Harbor.
In 2018, the City Council voted to provide funding to expand the number of moorage sites in the DUOWM from nine to 16, as allowed under the terms of the City's lease with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The Council directed the MAC to make a recommendation on the placement of the 16 residential buoys.
You can learn more about the MAC recommendation and watch the Feb. 5 City Council discussion
here.
The Feb. 12 City Council agenda will be available later today.
|
Tomorrow: City to host vessel auction
The City of Bainbridge Island will host a public auction of four vessels tomorrow at the Waterfront Park City Dock, located at 301 Shannon Drive.
Harbormaster Tami Allen will do a preview of the vessels at 10 a.m. and open the bids at noon. The highest eligible bidder wins.
The items must be removed within 48 hours of purchase.
The City will auction the following vessels and photos can be viewed
here
:
- 28' 1972 fiberglass sailboat "Tekoa"
- Requires proof of authorized moorage and minimum bid of $500
- SAILCRAFTER Yacht with three sails, dinghy and 8HP outboard motor
- Vessel was found beached and no apparent damage from the beaching
- Livingston rowboat with oars
- Sea Eagle 370 inflatable kayak with seat and paddle
- Kayak (no paddle)
Bids can be brought to the auction before noon on Feb. 9; delivered to the Bainbridge Island Police Department, located at 625 Winslow Way E, before 4 p.m. today (Friday, Feb. 8); or emailed to Harbormaster Tami Allen at
[email protected]
.
Bidders can make arrangements with the Harbormaster to see the items in advance of the Feb. 9 auction date.
F
or additional information, please call Harbormaster Tami Allen at 206-786-7627.
|
Volunteers needed for Wilderness First Responder Training
Looking for an exciting way to help our community and get involved in our emergency response plan? Join us for Wilderness First Responder Training-- a course that's designed to build a foundation of citizens with medical skills who will help the community in the event of a disaster when traditional medical resources may be significantly delayed or unavailable.
The WFR training is an 80-hour hybrid course (online & five days of classroom work). The online coursework must be completed prior to the start of the in-class training, which is scheduled March 8-10 and March 16-17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at BIFD Station 23. Students must be available for the entire classroom training.
This course is limited to 30 students and registration is required. Participants must pay a $150 registration fee.
Participants who successfully complete the course will receive certifications for WFR and CPR. For more information, please contact Clint Pells at [email protected].
|
Winter storm preparedness
If Bainbridge Island does experience significant power outages during the winter storm, please be aware that there are resources to help.
The City will assess whether to open a daytime warming center at the BI Senior Center. This facility has a generator, is staffed by trained volunteers, and provides a place to host Islanders who need a place to shelter during the day.
The City has not yet established a facility on Bainbridge Island that can serve as an overnight shelter, although we hope to do so in the course of 2019.
Finally, below are some steps you can take to prepare for the the winter storm:
- Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days.
- Stock up on non-perishable foods.
- Make sure you have flashlights, lanterns, headlamps and batteries in case of a power outage.
- Keep your gas tank full and have extra supplies in your car in case you get stuck on the roads (blanket, extra jacket, phone charger, bottled water, snacks, multi-purpose tool, jumper cables).
- If you have a generator at home, test it before the storm and make sure you have extra fuel.
Additional preparedness
information is available on the City's Emergency Preparedness
webpage
and the Ready Campaign
website
.
|
|
Upcoming Events
- Monday, Feb. 18: City Hall Closed in Observance of Presidents Day
- Sunday, Feb. 24: Chilly Hilly; 8 a.m.
|
|
