Discovery Road
Improving Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility
Project Background
Walking & Biking in Port Townsend
Over the last twenty years, the City of Port Townsend has added many miles of sidewalks and bike lanes to its existing streets network.
Port Townsend is considered a highly walkable city and is recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly Community (silver level). Pedestrian and bicycle mobility must be considered for all street projects as part of the City's Complete Streets Program .
While efforts are ongoing, many gaps remain within this network. These gaps limit the viability of active transportation and the daily mobility of pedestrians and cyclists across the City.
Design Principles
In support of ongoing efforts, Port Townsend uses these guiding principles to help inform decision making:
- Design facilities that are safe and comfortable using the best available science and design information.
- Consider a facility's location and context when making design decisions.
- Encourage low traffic speeds and local needs first within an urban context.
- Build facilities that encourage active transportation (i.e., walking, cycling, etc.).
- Seek flexible and innovative solutions.
- Identify and work within a project's physical boundaries and budget limitations.
- Promote transparency and open mindedness throughout the public process.
Meeting Growing Needs
The Discovery Road/19th Street/Blaine Street Corridor from Mill Road to Walker Street is an important east-west link and a top priority to fill a critical gap within the City's bicycle and pedestrian network.
While it is a popular travel corridor for residents and visitors alike, the narrow shoulders along Discovery Road offer little to no space for pedestrians and cyclists. Upgrade of Discovery Road is listed as the number one project within the City's Transportation Improvement Program.
In recognition of this growing need, the City of Port Townsend was awarded two grants to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety along Discovery Road from the roundabout at Rainier Street to Salish Coast Elementary at McClellan Street.
Project Funding
With these two grants , Port Townsend now has the funds to build bicycle and pedestrian facilities along one side of Discovery Road. These improvements will improve safety along Discovery Road while offering residents active transportation alternatives to driving.
The following is a list of key grant program requirements and/or constraints:
- Limit grant request to funds available in grant programs. (Available grant funds do not provide enough budget to rebuild the failing roadway pavement)
- Must improve pedestrian and bicycle safety
- Submit a feasible, conceptual cross-section with the grant application
In November of 2020, the City will learn if an additional grant has been awarded allowing for road repaving and non-motorized facilities on both sides of the corridor.
The cross-section shown on the following page was provided to meet grant application requirements as a concept that could be implemented on one side of Discovery Road while allowing for future expansion to both sides of the road.
Project Goals & Objectives
When completed, this project will result in community supported bike and pedestrian improvements along Discovery Road. These improvements will support a wide range of people walking and bicycling.
Project Objectives:
- Develop a Master Plan for pedestrian and bike facilities in the Discovery/19th/Blaine corridor.
- Using the framework of this Master Plan, construct bikeway and sidewalk facilities along one side of Discovery Road.
- Enhance pedestrian crossings and safety measures at intersections.
- Provide efficient and intuitive connections with existing bike and pedestrian facilities.
- Improve stormwater management along the length of the corridor.
Depicted cross sections were used within 2018 grant applications. They are for illustrative purposes only. Actual project designs will be developed based on community input, user types, context, and site and budget constraints.
Port Townsend currently has funding for improvements on one side of the road (either north or south side) as depicted by the area highlighted in green.
Bikeway Design Considerations
While sidewalks are relatively straightforward, the design of a bikeway has a few more considerations, including:
- Safety – Minimize the frequency and severity of crashes by limiting conflicts with vehicles.
- Comfort – Encourage use by significantly reducing stress, anxiety, or concerns over safety.
- Unbroken Flow – Intuitively and efficiently connect different facilities within the bicycle network while limiting stops and conflicts.
Project Context
Corridor Setting
The project limits along Discovery Road are bounded on the west by the Rainier Street roundabout and on the east by McClellan Street at the west edge of Salish Coast Elementary.
This portion of Discovery Road is a 20-foot wide two-lane road with no shoulder. The right-of-way is generally 60-feet wide and is mostly abutted by single-family homes. There are seven intersections (including Rainier Street and McClellan Street) and most are T-intersections on one-block local access roads with stop signs on the side road only.
Except for McPherson Street and 14th Street, each access road is about one block long with very light traffic.
Corridor Setting
There are only five driveways directly accessing Discovery Road. The relatively limited number of intersections and driveways paired with banked roadway curves promote higher vehicle speeds.
The posted speed limit is 25 mph but typical vehicle speeds trend closer to 35 mph. Current traffic volumes average about 5,200 vehicles per day. This volume will likely grow closer to 10,000 vehicles per day in the next couple of decades with potential developments surrounding the corridor.
Land Use & Development
The western edge of the project limits is an area of high development potential. The Makers/Artisan District starts at the roundabout and runs southerly along Rainier Street. Development along Rainier Street north of Discovery could add nearly 500 dwelling units.
Existing development is mostly single-family homes, including the Towne Point subdivision with 165 homes. There are several multi-family and apartment sites proximate to the corridor. Salish Coast Elementary sits at the east edge of the project limits, serving about 500 children from Kindergarten through 5th grade.
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Ped/Bike Network Connections
There are no pedestrian/bicycle facilities along Discovery Road within the project limits due to the narrow roadway width; however, there are important connections to developed facilities, including:
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Rainier Street Cycle Track
Two-way asphalt cycle track buffered by a planter strip on the east side of Rainier Street. It ends at the roundabout on the south side of Discovery Road.
There is a concrete sidewalk for pedestrians on the outside of the Cycle track. The cycle track runs southerly along Ranier Street to connect to sidewalks and on-street bike lanes along Simes Way.
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Rainier Street Shared Use Path
An asphalt shared use path (pedestrians, bicycles, and other human-powered transport) built to the north of the Rainier roundabout within the undeveloped street right-of-way.
This path connects to 20th Street and the trail system to the north.
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Salish Coast Elementary Cycle Track
Two-way asphalt cycle track built on the outside of a concrete sidewalk. The sidewalk is buffered from the roadway by a planter strip.
At the school bus loading zone, the cycle track is separated from the sidewalk with a chain-link fence, which deters children from entering the cycle track as they unload from buses.
The cycle track connects to sidewalks and on-street bike lanes along Sheridan Street and 19th Street.
Master Plan Context
As part of this project, the City will be establishing an overall Master Plan for pedestrian and bicycle facilities for the Discovery Road/19th Street/Blaine Street corridor from Mill Road on the west to Walker Street on the east.
The broader corridor includes two distinct sections:
- Discovery Road from Mill Road to Sherman Street;
- Discovery/19th/Blaine from Sherman Street to Walker Street.
The first (westerly) section includes the project limits from Rainier Street to McClellan Street with the narrow roadway and no shoulders for ped/bike use. The second (easterly) section has wider shoulders, bike lanes, but sporadic sidewalks.
Project Constraints
Space Constraints
The Discovery Road right of way is generally 60 feet wide with 20 feet of pavement centered in the right of way.
Acquiring additional right of way width is cost prohibitive; therefore, the pedestrian and bicycle facilities will be built within existing right-of-way.
This includes the current project's interim improvements to one side of Discovery Road as well as the ultimate improvements to provide facilities on both sides of the corridor.
Space Constraints
The improvements will be kept 2-3 feet from the right of way lines to allow for construction without impact to abutting properties.
This reduces the available space for bikeway, sidewalk, and stormwater (drainage) improvements by 10% to 15% as shown by the red hatched area in the cross section.
Budget Constraints
The City has secured grant funding to complement City funds for a total project budget of about $2.1 million.
This will allow for interim improvements to build sidewalk and bike facilities on one side of Discovery Road.
Community input and design development will inform selection of specific bike facility type and location on either the north or south side of the corridor.
Types of Bicyclists
Types of Bicyclists
Like many other communities, Port Townsend has a wide range of cyclists with different skills, abilities, and comfort levels; including commuters, recreational riders, utility cyclists, families and children, retirees, and tourists.
In addition, many people who do not currently bicycle but are interested, might consider riding a bike if they felt they could do so safely.
Low Stress Bikeways
Low stress bikeways are known to encourage more people to ride bikes both recreationally and as an alternative form of transportation.
On streets with higher vehicle traffic volumes and speeds, bikeways that are separated from traffic enable people of all ages and abilities to comfortably and confidently ride bicycles.
On smaller, narrower streets with very low traffic volumes and speeds, less confident bicyclists can still safely and comfortably share the roadway.
City Commitment
Port Townsend is committed to reducing these barriers and working with developers to create a more inclusive roadway system. This is reflected in the City’s Complete Streets Policy .
In practice, this means designing streets to accommodate a wide range of users and abilities.
- School Children
- Families
- Recreational Users
- Commuters
- Utility Cyclists
- Inexperienced as well as experienced cyclists
Types of Bikeways
Bikeways that provide separation from motor vehicle traffic support bicyclists of all ages and abilities, increase the number of people bicycling, reduce stress, and improve safety for all people using the roadway.
On streets with higher vehicle traffic volumes and speeds, bikeways that are separated from traffic enable people of all ages and abilities to comfortably and confidently bicycle. On smaller, narrower streets with very low traffic volumes and speeds, unconfident bicyclists can safely and comfortably share the roadway with vehicles.
The projected volume and speed of vehicular traffic on a road, along with the overall width of the public right of way, generally dictate what type of bicycle facility can best accommodate bicyclists of all ages and abilities.
Bikeway Options
The following slideshow illustrates a few of the options that could fit within the Discovery Road right-of-way. The desired result of community engagement is selection of the best bikeway type that encourages use by a wide majority of bicyclist types, while considering project context and project constraints.
Shared Lane
- Bicycles share the travel lane with vehicles
- Includes "Bicycle Boulevards" or "Greenways"
- With or without pavement markings or signs
- Only appropriate where vehicle volumes and speeds are low
Bike Lane
- Exclusive lane for bicyclists
- Only low stress where vehicle volumes and speeds are low to moderate
- Risk of dooring if bike lane is too close to parked cars
One-Way Cycle Track at Street Level
- Exclusive lane located within or adjacent to the roadway
- Can be separated from vehicle traffic with a vertical element
- Accommodates most ages and abilities
Two-Way Cycle Track at Street Level
- Exclusive lanes located within or adjacent to the roadway
- Can be separated from vehicle traffic with a vertical element
- Accommodates most ages and abilities
- Uses less space than one-way cycle track
- Best in locations with limited street crossings
- Intersection design for safety is critical
- Connection to one-way facilities can be inefficient
One-Way Cycle Track at Sidewalk Level
- Exclusive lane located between the roadway and sidewalk
- Provides additional separation from vehicle traffic
- Accommodates all ages and abilities
Two-Way Cycle Track at Sidewalk Level
- Exclusive lanes located between the roadway and sidewalk
- Provides additional separation from vehicle traffic
- Uses less space than one-way cycle track
- Best in locations with limited street crossings
- Intersection design for safety is critical
- Connection to one-way facilities can be inefficient
- Accommodates all ages and abilities
Sidepath
- Paved shared use path adjacent to the roadway
- Narrower standard than a shared use path (10' vs. 12')
- Can include a gravel shoulder for equestrian use
- Potential conflicts between modes
- Physically separated from vehicle traffic
- Minimum 5-foot setback from roadway
Shared Use Path
- Physically separated from vehicle traffic
- Shared by pedestrians, bicyclists and joggers
- Typically paved but can be gravel
- 12-foot wide minimum width
- Can include a gravel shoulder for equestrians
- Potential conflicts between modes
- Accommodates all ages and abilities
Shared Use Path with Separated Modes
- Pedestrians and joggers separated from bicyclists
- Physically separated from vehicle traffic
- Lower stress for all users
- Accommodates all ages and abilities
Local Examples
There are many types of bicycle and pedestrian facilities types currently in place throughout Port Townsend. These existing facilities reflect different contexts and user needs. They also demonstrate the ever evolving best practices of facility design to increase safety, comfort, and function.
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Bike Lane
F Street
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Bike Lane
San Juan Avenue
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Advisory Bike Lane
Water Street
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Buffered Bike Lane & Asphalt Path
Sims Way
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Shared Use Path (Crushed Gravel)
Larry Scott Trail / Pacific Northwest Trail
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Buffered Bike Lane
Sheridan Street
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Two-Way Cycle Track
Discovery Road
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Shared Use Path
Rainier Street
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Two-Way Cycle Track
Rainier Street
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Shared Use Path (Crushed Gravel)
Larry Scott Trail / Pacific Northwest Trail
Next Steps
Thank you for taking the time to learn about the Discovery Road Bikeway and Sidewalks Project .
The City wants your input on this important project and will provide multiple opportunities for you to participate. While the format will unfortunately be online due to Covid-19, the City will make every effort to address your comments and concerns.
While there will be multiple opportunities to participate and engage in the future, we want to make sure we captured any initial comments or questions you may have. Feel free to reach out or share any thoughts you may have!
