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Silverdale Center plan teams propose Clear Creek green spine, transit loop and liner buildings to boost walkability
Summary
Consultants and county planners presented a Silverdale Center work study on Oct. 21 that recommends a Clear Creek green spine, enhanced east'west pedestrian connections, a local transit circulator and targeted infill to support mixed-use redevelopment while preserving Old Town character.
Consultants working on the Silverdale Center Regional Plan presented updated concepts to the Planning Commission on Oct. 21 that prioritize walkability, infill housing near transit and creek-front public spaces.
Project scope and purpose: Tascina Turin of BERC and Fred Young of Parametrics said the update revisits goals set in 2006 and translates public-engagement input into implementable design concepts and design standards. The county seeks PSRC certification for the Silverdale transportation element and to maintain Silverdale's regional center designation, which affects eligibility for regional funding.
Key concepts presented:
- Clear Creek spine: consultants propose activating Clear Creek as a contiguous green spine with trails and higher-quality pedestrian/cycling connections to tie the mall, hospital/medical area and Old Town.
- Silverdale Way redesign options: consultants offered near-term redesign concepts for Silverdale Way, from reallocated curb-front space and improved pedestrian buffers to more ambitious multi-way boulevard treatments similar to local examples (Lake City Way and Bothell Way).
- Transit and connections: staff and consultants discussed a proposed transit circulator loop, shuttle links to a seasonal or pop-up ferry connection to Bremerton, and the importance of a feeder shuttle between parking areas and mobility nodes.
- Parking strategy and "park once" principles: the team recommended consolidating underused surface parking into shared facilities over time to free frontage for mixed use and housing.
- Infill and urban form: concepts include "liner" buildings (retail at street with housing above), medium-density mixed use near the mall, and smaller-scale multi-family near the creek and Old Town to preserve neighborhood character; the team also discussed the potential daylighting of Strawberry Creek as a future public-space linkage.
Funding and implementation pathways: consultants and staff described funding opportunities for transportation and streetscaping: Complete Streets policy eligibility (which unlocks certain Transportation Investment Board funds), PSRC grant programs, and the Sandy Williams Connecting Communities program for former state highway corridors (Silverdale Way was formerly state route). Staff noted Silverdale has historically received PSRC transportation awards and that a mix of public-private partnerships, tax-increment financing/TIF and other tools may be needed to implement plaza and streetscape projects.
Next steps: the team said it will produce a draft ready for PSRC review by the end of the next month, translate concepts into draft design standards and prioritize implementation actions and funding pathways for the county and its partners.
Speakers: the work-study presentation included Jim Rogers (Kitsap County DCD), Tascina Turin (BERC Consulting, project manager), and Fred Young (Parametrics, transportation lead).
