10/09/2006: "October 10: SJI Intermodal Transportation Committee"

The San Juan Island Intermodal Transportation Committee will meet Tuesday, October 10, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Friday Harbor Town Council Chambers. The agenda includes a discussion on "What did we learn" from the public comments at the last WSF open house. The comments at the Open House were related to possible changes to Friday Harbor traffic patterns, flows, and "bump-outs" at some corners, in an attempt to shorten the time it takes to unload and load cars from the ferry when it is docked in Friday Harbor.

The public is welcome to speak at a Public Comment Period at 4:45 p.m., and also may send written comments to the State at: WSFF-HMasterPlan@wsdot.wa.gov

The Intermodal Transportation Committee was formed to allow local government to give input to a Master Plan that is being drafted by the State. The ommittee is comprised of representatives from the Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan County. and the Port of Friday Harbor

Some of the topics that may be discussed are:

Trouble areas during offloading

1.) Illegal V-turns into parking (even worse if they miss the parking space) 2.) Stopping and waiting for parking space
3.) Slow moving traffic looking for there friends, family, etc. 4.) Drivers rubbernecking looking for directional signs
5.) Bicyclists moving in the vehicle traffic up Spring St.
6.) Pedestrians not alert wandering into roadway
7.) Cellular phone both in vehicles and on sidewalks
8.) Vehicles making left turns at First St. and Spring St. (crosswalks
uncontrolled between Kings & Herbs as well Caldwell & Windermere) 9.) Vehicles repeatedly looping the block searching for passengers
10.) Double and even triple parking on Front St.
11.) Pedestrians crossing Front St. causing gaps in ferry traffic (pedestrians see this as there time to cross and don't wait for Traffic control instruction)
12.) Vehicles stopping at Second St. to allow oncoming traffic to turn left on Second St.
13.) Vehicles stopping in roadway to pick-up passengers
14.) Pedestrians crossing back and forth from Cannery Landing to ferry terminal
15.) Commercial loading zone: larger semi trucks get held up if a large truck is parked and offloading
16.) Pedestrians stopping in crosswalks for pictures, directions, or just confused on were they are going
17.) Pedestrians walking behind parked vehicles on Spring St. 18.) Offloading pedestrians clogging Front St.
19.) Getting vehicles moving when backed up to Vessel
20.) Vehicles stopping to unload passengers at the end of the bridge

Ideas from Traffic Control

1.) Saw horse sign inside crosswalks at First and Spring St. (No left turns
during ferry offloading)
2.) Barrier at the end of Front St. sidewalk during the offloading 3.) Police officers in town during offloading when available
4.) Double lane loading (not used this summer because of paving project) 5.) Move commercial loading zone toward other end of Front St.
6.) Allow safety fence at corner of East St and Front St to stay up longer 7.) Announcements from vessels and terminal for passengers to remain on
sidewalks during offloading
8.) Hold walk-on traffic on vessel until after vehicles have disembarked 9.) Once vehicles begin offloading close East St at First St until offload is complete

The full agenda follows:

Agenda

3:00 Introductions & Project Update Dave Sowers, WSF

3:05 Open House Follow-up – What did we hear? Hadley Greene, WSF

3:20 Draft Master Plan – Intermediate &Long-Term Recommendations - Andy Bennett, KPFF Kevin Peterson, Peterson Design

4:20 Next Steps - Andy Bennett & Dave Sowers
• Developing the Final Master Plan
• Upcoming Open House
• Next ITC Meeting - ??

4:30 Public Outreach – Getting Comments on the Draft Master Plan - Kevin Peterson; Hadley Greene
4:45 Public Comment Period All
5:00 Adjourn