Traffic Payout

by guest blogger Joe Irwin

Having personally been stuck in the traffic backups caused by the Hood Canal Bridge countless times, both heading to and coming from the Olympic Peninsula, I can attest that they’re pretty much a way of life for residents and visitors to the area.

But, like traffic jams the world over, they’re also about as fun as a root canal without Novocain.

Over the years, it’s come to my attention that while sitting in traffic on SR 3 is bad enough for motorists, it can be even worse for homeowners who live along the northbound lane of the highway.  Imagine that you’re four car-lengths from home and can’t get there because the bridge is open, traffic is backed up and some other motorist has blocked your driveway.  Or that you have tickets to a show in Seattle, and have to catch a ferry, but can’t leave your house because a semi is blocking you in.

Frustrating? You bet.

Some North Kitsap residents have experienced this sort of frustration day-in and day-out for years, decades even.

Hash marks designate "do not block" zones

In an effort to relieve this long-standing problem, WSDOT has painted hash in 36 driveways, designating them as “do not block” zones, and added six signs along northbound SR 3 to inform motorists not to block these areas.  The signs and markings will make it easier for drivers to identify where they shouldn’t stop during bridge openings.

Is it illegal to stop your car in front of these driveways? No. But we’re hoping these signs and markings will serve as constant reminders to SR 3 motorists to be good neighbors to residents who live along the highway.  They’ve put up with this issue for years, after all. 

Let’s help them out… and into their driveways.