Bremerton council pauses Naval Avenue project, refers right-of-way amendment to Public Works after hours of public comment

The Bremerton City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 15 to refer supplemental agreement No. 4 for the Naval Avenue pedestrian and bicycle enhancements project to the council's Public Works Committee for further review and recommendations.

The referral follows a seven-year planning process and a presentation by Vicki Grover, the city's project manager for the right-of-way phase, who told council that federal and state grant deadlines require the city to show continuous progress to keep funding. Grover said the contract amendment would allow the consultant, HDR Engineering, to begin acquisition tasks, including appraisals, surveys and negotiations with property owners.

Grover said the project began in 2018 and reached 90% design in April 2024; the city has secured multiple grants for right-of-way work and expects acquisitions to take roughly two years. She warned council that pausing the effort too long could put awarded grant funds at risk.

The decision to refer came after about three hours of public comment, much of it from parents, cyclists and neighborhood residents who said the 90% design did not provide adequate protection for people walking or biking near Naval Avenue Elementary School. Speakers asked for protected bike lanes, shorter crosswalk distances and design changes at intersections to reduce conflicts between turning vehicles and cyclists.

Representatives of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Naval Base Kitsap also addressed council. Jennifer Herbig, executive director of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, urged the city to evaluate second- and third-order effects of changes to traffic patterns because the majority of shipyard employees commute by car. Allison Satter, the Navy's community planning liaison officer, said the Navy is using alternative gates to manage queuing but urged continued coordination because Naval Avenue gate use could increase based on base operations.

Council members discussed technical trade-offs, including intersections where turn pockets or extra lanes were proposed to maintain vehicular level-of-service forecasts through 2040. Several council members and many residents said the design should prioritize the safety of children and residents by providing protected bike lanes and safer crossings. Public works staff and the consultant said many requested changes would require additional right-of-way and further design work and might exceed current funding.

To resolve the impasse, Councilmember [motion maker not specified in transcript] moved to send contract modification No. 4 to the Public Works Committee with direction to collaborate with the engineering division and administration and to return recommendations to council at the Jan. 22 study session; the motion passed unanimously.

The referral preserves the city's option to continue right-of-way acquisition work while the committee and staff seek compromises on design details such as protection for bike lanes and the configuration of turn pockets. Grover and staff said they will continue communications with grantors while the committee reviews community concerns.

What happens next: the Public Works Committee will consider the issues and report back to the full council at the Jan. 22 study session; council directed staff to return recommendations and potential trade-offs so members can decide whether to move ahead with the right-of-way amendment or pursue a redesign that could require additional funding and more time.