Date:  Friday, January 18, 2008

Contact: Jerry Moore, Project Engineer, (360) 457-2575
              Lisa Murdock, WSDOT Communications, (360) 357-2789

POULSBO – WSDOT added some elbow room for drivers who travel State Route 305 through the heart of this growing city.

Friday night, Jan. 25, a two-mile stretch of SR 305 goes from two lanes to four.  The right lanes in both directions will be designated high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes Monday through Friday during peak commute times. That means vehicles carrying two or more people can use the lanes from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Additional northbound and southbound lanes through Poulsbo should ease congestion, help buses stay on schedule, and make it easier for emergency vehicles to get where they need to go.

Single-occupancy vehicles can enter the carpool lanes to access driveways. Striping and signing indicates areas where it is OK for solo drivers to use the HOV lanes.

WSDOT will monitor the efficiency of the new HOV lanes and this stretch of SR 305 with respect to travel times, violation rates, congestion levels and other factors – and make changes as needed based on the data collected.

Arterial HOV lanes on Seattle-area routes similar to SR 305 have helped ease congestion.

The SR 305 – Poulsbo South City Limit to Bond Road project also improves safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists by updating traffic signals, improving turning lanes at eight intersections, providing bicycle lanes, and providing sidewalks between Baywatch Court and Lincoln Drive.

Public involvement and agency coordination activities for this project began in 1995 when the SR 305 Corridor Analysis Major Investment Study was initiated. Public involvement has included the formation of a steering committee consisting of representatives of public agencies and organizations, meetings with business owners and residential property owners, an open house, and a combination environmental assessment hearing and open house.

Project information: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR305/PoulsboSouthtoBondRd/
HOV information: www.wsdot.wa.gov/hov/

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