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SAN JUAN COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS

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Letters about this issue

"Quality of life" trumps road safety

posted 09/19/03
The Board of County Commissioners directed the county Public Works Dept. not to stripe Smuggler Cove Road on San Juan Island. A resident had asked the county if they could apply a centerline stripe to the 22-foot wide road to increase safety. County Engineer Jerry Rasmussen agreed to the request noting it would improve safety and only cost the county $133. Neighbors raised objections saying "striping would be invasive and affect their quality of life." On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003, the objectors prevailed.

County Commissioner Darcie Nielsen had asked for the striping issue to be placed on the county's agenda for a third time. Ellen Roberts, who had made the safety request, withdrew it citing the uproar in her neighborhood. Nielsen referred to the fatal crash on Bailer Hill Road and told Rasmussen the Public Works Dept needed to attend to safety "hot spots" instead of spending time on Robert's request.

Commissioner John Evans wanted the county to keep its standards intact. He said striping Smuggler Cove Road was contrary to the road standards. The county has guidelines which refer to which roads get striped first.

Since the county has gone on the record saying Smuggler Cove Road would be safer with stripes and then reversed a decision to stripe it, they have theoretically increased the liability for the county, according to county staff. If an accident occurs on the road, a victim could seek to prove the county liable for damages. Staff noted the likelihood of a crash on the 25 mph road was low.

Neighbors object to stripes on road

posted 09/10/03
Several residents object to the proposed center line stripe on Smuggler Cove Road on San Juan Island. They told the county Public Works Department the "striping would be invasive and affect their quality of life." Earlier this summer, another resident, Ellen Roberts asked the Public Works Department to stripe the road to improve safety.

County Engineer Jerry Rasmussen recommended the county stripe the road since the cost was nominal - about $150 - and safety would be improved. All roads over a certain width would benefit from striping he said. The county doesn't routinely stripe all of them because of economics.

After the decision was made, other residents contacted Rasmussen objecting to the proposed striping. He visited the neighborhood, passing out a letter written by Commissioner Darcie Nielsen asking for neighborliness and compassion. Four residents, he happened to run into, didn't object to the striping.

At the September 9, 2003 BOCC meeting, Rasmussen informed the commissioners about the controversy. Several residents shared their objections. Jo Cleary said, "We have people with glaucoma and cataracts and they don't have a problem driving. We have 38 against it and four for it."

Rasmussen told the Board of County Commissioners he stood by his original recommendation. "Safety is not a show of hands issue," he said.

After hearing the neighbors' objections, Commissioner John Evans made a motion to not stripe the road. The motion died for a lack of a second meaning the original decision to stripe the road stands.

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