Public Works plans Tremont meeting

The city of Port Orchard will move from the preliminary to the near-imminent with respect to the Tremont Corridor next week as Public Works Director Maher Abed will introduce a consultant hired to help purchase right-of-way land from property owners along Tremont.

The property acquisition comes as part of the overall Tremont Corridor Expansion, in which the city plans to improve Tremont Street from State Route 16 to Port Orchard Boulevard.

Construction is set to begin in 2008 and will include expanding Tremont Street to two lanes going each direction, installing a landscaped median from SR-16 to the intersection at Roland, bike lanes and two roundabouts located at Tremont’s intersections at South Kitsap and Pottery Avenue.

The improvements are meant to expedite traffic through the area and improve what is considered the gateway of Port Orchard.

At a public meeting on Nov. 8, Abed will introduce Barbara Meeking of Universal Field Services, who will be overseeing the acquisition of right-of-way property.

Residents are asked to offer input on the project’s recent issues, such as vehicular access for properties, placement of utility services, location of retaining walls and construction detours.

At previous meetings, residents discussed the safety and impact of the two roundabouts. Mayoral candidate Lary Coppola’s Wet Apple Media and Action Chiropractic abut the roundabout at Pottery.

Coppola and Action Chiropractic’s Brian Willyard worried the roundabout would encroach on their property. An early diagram of the roundabout even crossed over standing structures.

Abed has met with the residents most affected by the roundabout, but some concerns still remain.

Coppola said his concerns were shared but by other nearby residents.

“I’m still very concerned,” he said. “When I was doorbelling over there, I heard a lot of concerns from residents.”

Coppola said his hope to develop the corner of property next to the roundabout has been delayed by this process, and he is still worried about the safety of the roundabouts and the possible costs accrued from accident reports.

Abed said the roundabout is predicted to save the city $500,000 over 20 years, amounting to $25,000 per year.

Residents and property owners worried about the roundabouts are welcome to ask questions and collect information, but the main focus of next week’s meeting will be on utilities and property acquisition.

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