View Ridge Elementary – Almira Safe Routes to School

Project Purpose

The City seeks to enhance and provide continuous sidewalk and bicycle facilities serving areas immediately north of View Ridge Elementary School through the Safe Routes to School program. The program provides funding to communities through a competitive application process and seeks to improve safety and mobility for children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school. Funding from this program is for projects within two-miles of primary, middle and high schools (K-12). In addition, the planned improvements align with the goals and recommendations of the City of Bremerton Non-Motorized Transportation Plan and City of Bremerton Comprehensive Plan.

Improvements under this Safe Routes to School project generally consists of the construction and/or reconstruction of sidewalks, construction of shared-use facilities (sidepaths and/or shared-use paths), construction of bicycle lanes, pedestrian lighting improvements, pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements, and other improvements in the right-of-way which promote a safe use by pedestrians and cyclist. These improvements may also identify opportunities to slow vehicle traffic through implementation of traffic-calming measures.

Project Overview

View Ridge Elementary is located on Spruce Avenue south of Sylvan Way with a large proportion of current and potential pedestrian/bicycle traffic utilizing Almira Drive north of Sylvan Way to commute to and from the school. Spruce Avenue (a 2-lane local roadway) currently has 4’ wide sidewalks generally along the east side of the roadway and connects to the school entrance. Sylvan Way (a 2-lane minor arterial) currently has 4’-5’ wide sidewalks on both sides with a signed mid-block crosswalk approximately 250’ east of Spruce Avenue. Almira Drive (a 2-lane local roadway) has 4’ wide sidewalks on both sides of the roadway terminating south of Nome Drive (approximately 900’ north of Sylvan Way). Roadside ditch drainage with no curb and gutter is present on Almira Drive generally north of Nome Drive. East 33rd Street (a 2-lane local roadway) currently has 4’ wide sidewalk on both sides of the roadway with portions of sidewalk missing. A local city alleyway is located between Sylvan Way and East 33rd Street and generally follows the eastern boundary of the Kitsap Regional Library property. No designated bicycle lanes or markings are present on any of these roadways and the condition and width of existing sidewalks present are substandard. Existing sidewalk routes are not continuous in some areas and curb ramps at intersections are not ADA-compliant.

The project will evaluate and install a system of sidewalks and shared-use facilities serving areas immediately north of View Ridge Elementary School and as shown in the project location map. The City will also be developing potential routes for a future planned non-motorized route connecting Sheridan Road to East 33rd Street as identified in the SR 303 Corridor Plan – Construction of this improvement is not included in the project budget. Other planned improvements under this project include lighting, curb ramps, traffic calming, and pavement markings. Improvements along Almira Drive are also planned to include pavement reconstruction, stormwater improvements, and minor water main improvements. A rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) is currently planned to be installed under this project at the intersection of Sylvan Way and Almira Drive. The City has a separate project to install an RRFB’s at the intersections of Sylvan Way & Spruce Avenue, Sylvan Way & Halverson Avenue, and Sheridan Road & Cherry Avenue.

Project Funding

The City submitted an application to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for Safe Routes to School funding for the project in 2020 and received a notice of award for funding in 2022. The grant funding provides a maximum of $4,155,000 in project funding and requires a minimum City contribution/match of approximately $645,000 (13.5%) for a total of $4,800,000. All project costs not directly associated with improvements which improve pedestrian and bicycle access to/from View Ridge Elementary School must be covered fully by the City. These non-eligible costs include the reconstruction of Almira Drive pavement and water main improvements estimated at $1,200,000. The overall project cost is estimated at approximately $6,140,000.

Safe Routes to School Grant Funding (WSDOT)	$4,155,000
Transportation Capital Funds	$1,155,000
Stormwater Capital Funds	$620,000
Water Capital Funds	$210,000
Total Estimated Cost	$6,140,000

Future Area Active Transportation Improvements

View Ridge Elementary – Almira Safe Routes to School (Phase 2)

In 2022, the City of Bremerton submitted an application for additional Safe Routes to School funding to provided similar improvements along Almira Drive from Ivy Road to Riddell Road as a “Phase 2” improvement. The extension of active transportation facilities along Almira Drive to Riddell Road is shown under Phase 1C of the SR 303 Corridor Study (Appendix A). The City was notified by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in May 2023 that funding for this project was not selected. A request for funding is anticipated to be resubmitted during the next WSDOT call for Safe Routes to School projects.

Future Active Transportation Connection (East 33rd Street to Sheridan Road)

The active transportation connection between East 33rd Street and Sheridan Road is shown under Phase 5 of the SR 303 Corridor Study (Appendix A). While funding has not been identified for these improvements at this time, information regarding possible route alignments and configurations will be presented at the June 2023 Open House Meeting .