The Port Responds

Airport Way is a new road built by the Port of Bremerton to connect the soon-to-be-developed South Kitsap Industrial Area with SR 3. It looks like a great place for weekend bike riding or power walking with views of the Olympic Mountains and the back side of the Kitsap Regional Airport runway. So I was surprised to see a “no bicycles” sign (see photo) posted at the road’s entrance. When I asked why the sign is there, it turns out that “no bicycles” isn’t exactly what it means.

The Port of Bremerton web site lists the email addresses for members of the management staff. From the list, I selected Tim Thomson, Director, Real Estate and Industrial Park Development, as the person to ask about the sign. I had no idea that Mr. Thomson has just been appointed CEO of the Port. Although I’m sure the CEO deals with more important matters than bicycle signs, he took time out to answer my question.

In response to my email, he wrote: “To the best of our knowledge, bicycles are authorized on Airport Way. Folks have been riding on the concrete shoulder (bike lanes) or the pedestrian pathway.” He promised to take a look at the sign on his way home from work.

The next day I got another message advising me that the sign is in the wrong place, but until it is moved bikers are welcome to use the road. Confused by what “wrong place” means, I took another look at the sign. Maybe they don’t want bikes on the grassy strip, I thought, although declaring it to be off-limits seems unnecessary. I wrote back thanking him and asked why they need the sign at all.

The next email, from the Director of Airport Operations, cleared things up. (Do they have any Indians at the port or is everyone a chief?) His email said that the sign is there to keep bicycles off the asphalt pedestrian path (it’s next to the fence in the photo). Bikers are to use the pervious concrete shoulders on the road. To make things clear, the contractor has been notified to move the sign.

I’m not sure how I feel about the email exchange. Perhaps a bit dumb for not figuring out why the sign is there. Perhaps a bit surprised that the port staff responded quickly and, in my view, favorably. I wouldn’t have put a sign up in the first place, but maybe the asphalt path will get more use when the weather gets better.

The Port of Bremerton spends millions of taxpayer dollars to develop local infrastructure that will increase economic opportunity in Kitsap County. It’s good to know that they also take time to respond to public inquiries.