Neighbors and city officials seem to agree: There’s a speeding problem along West Sequim Bay Road.

The road that receives outgoing traffic from the Albert Haller Playfields, and runs west into the City of Sequim and east to John Wayne Marina, PNNL-Sequim and many residences, was targeted in recent months by City of Sequim staff to gauge potential issues regarding vehicles going too fast.

Sequim Public Works director Paul Bucich said at the Sept. 9 city council meeting that a traffic speed study was very revealing: “Both residents and those outside of the city have lead feet.”

According to city documents, Bucich wrote that there is “a significant issue with drivers exceeding the speed limit along the entire corridor,” including the three study sites west of North Rhodefer Road on West Sequim Bay Road, east of North Rhodefer Road by Elk Loop Road, and just west of Washington Harbor Road.

Bucich wrote that all three locations showed speeding between 35-60 mph in the 20 mph zone at all hours of the day, including a vehicle (later identified as an unlicensed motorcycle) going around 85-plus mph through the area one morning at 1:30 a.m. Police have attempted to stop the driver before but were unable to because of state pursuit laws, staff report.

Going west along West Sequim Bay Road, the closest 35 mph sign to the 20 mph zone is at Washington Harbor Road, about half a mile away.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Helana Coddington, co-owner/director of Sequim’s Little Explorers, told Sequim Mayor Brandon Janisse she’d like to see sidewalks installed along West Sequim Bay Road, an electronic speed limit sign, more police patrols and improved crosswalks. Coddington said that it’s crucial the 20 mph speed limit be enforced especially because families are walking in and out of the center.

In his September report, Bucich said both sides of West Sequim Bay Road lack “end speed limit” signs for the 20 mph zone, which leads to confusion for required speed limits.

Nearby resident Maegan Koorn said in an interview the speeding is “horrible.”

“People will fly right by,” she said. “They use our cul-de-sac to zip around.”

Patty Baker, who has lived in the area since 1976, said the stretch has been bad for a long time.

“They’re going too fast, fast, fast,” she said. “And they know it’s a good spot to race too.”

Baker and her renters say it’s particularly worse at night.

“I don’t know what’ll slow it down,” she said. “More police patrols might help.”

In April, Mayor Brandon Janisse reached out to owners of the Sequim’s Little Explorers Early Learning Center on West Sequim Bay Road about safety concerns.

Helana Coddington, co-owner/director of Sequim’s Little Explorers, replied she’d like to see sidewalks installed along the road, an electronic flashing speed sign similar to what’s found across the city to deter speeding, holding more routine police patrols, and maintaining the Rhodefer Road intersection crosswalk to ensure it remains effective.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ City staff put up flags to help bring awareness to a 20 mph zone on West Sequim Bay Road, and they’ve ordered more signs, painted no passing lanes, and increased police patrols.

“The absence of sidewalks compels pedestrians to walk through our parking lot, which is not ideal and poses a safety risk,” she said.

“Constructing sidewalks would greatly improve pedestrian safety and provide a clear demarcation from vehicle traffic.”

Coddington added that it’s crucial the 20 mph speed limit be enforced especially because families are walking in and out of the center.

Koorn had similar suggestions, hoping they’d build a sidewalk and add police patrols.

“(The speeding) is really bad,” she said.

Taking action

Following the city’s speed study, Sequim Police Department made 25 traffic stops of speeders on Aug. 20 and issued them warnings.

In a previous interview, Police Chief Mike Hill said they’ve increased traffic patrols in recent months across the city following a city survey where residents sought more speed enforcement.

City staff also received vehicle collision data for the area from 2013-2024, with 19 wrecks in the city limits — most of those at the West Sequim Bay Road and Washington Street intersection.

Improvements in the area were prompted by city councilor Kathy Downer, also an area resident, due to what she’s seen and heard from neighbors. City councilors unanimously agreed in May to ask city staff for possible options to make the stretch of road safer.

Bucich has updated councilors through the summer, saying in June that staff’s observations show people don’t have challenges crossing the crosswalk at Rhodefer Road and West Sequim Bay Road, and about 800 vehicles travel the stretch of road daily.

On Sept. 9, he said following a review of the area, it was appropriate to keep the 20 mph zone by Sequim’s Little Explorers.

He previously reported in June that during city staff’s analysis of other zones with required 20 mph limits, other school zones, preschools and day cares in and around the city have proper signage and speed limits.

Because of the speeding concerns, city staff striped no passing zones for both the west and eastbound lanes along a stretch of West Sequim Bay Road. The double lines now go east to right before Fair Weather Drive/Torres Court, about a tenth-of-a-mile away from the center.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ So far City of Sequim staff extended no passing lanes on West Sequim Bay Road to deter bad driving behavior near a 20 mph zone, and they’ve ordered more signage to place along the road in hopes to slow drivers down.

Bucich said new signage was ordered for both West Sequim Bay Road and North Rhodefer Road and will be installed when they arrive.

He added that the city can look in the future for ways to build sidewalks along West Sequim Bay Road’s north side, and bike lanes if there are enough funds.

In a follow-up email interview, Coddington said city staff installed orange flags on the 20 mph signs in the spring but her staff have continued to witness drivers going above 20 mph.

She said passing hasn’t been an issue on the roadway by her center, but due to the zone there shouldn’t be passing at 20 mph.

“I strongly feel (an electronic) sign that shows the speed would help drivers slow down,” she said.

In an email reply, Bucich said city staff have requested two-four portable radar speed signs in the 2025 city budget.

“Those would be deployed in the city based on resident or business concerns over speeding,” he said.

“Our intention would be to use these portable radar feedback signs in this corridor as a reminder to slow down. By moving them around the city, we have the opportunity to have a greater overall impact on speeding in our community.

“We would bring them back to identified problem locations frequently as a regular reminder to obey the speed limits.”

Bucich said he’s found this method more effective than static signs because those tend to be ignored over time.

He added that the radar signs would be small enough for one person to move and mount them on sign poles, and they have two modes — visible indication of speed and stealth-mode where speed is tracked but not shown.

Bucich said this allows the city to “evaluate the effectiveness of the signs on speed modulation, (but) just because it’s not showing a speed doesn’t mean it isn’t tracking.”

Concerns for and about bicyclists was another topic among councilors and residents.

Downer said on Sept. 9 she has encountered bicyclists four different times who do not look for vehicle traffic before going into the road.

“I’d recommend laying on your horn,” Bucich said. “I’d rather have them learn their lesson than get hit.”

With the area being a part of the Olympic Discovery Trail, Bucich said bicyclists should be aware there’s no dedicated bike lane for them coming down Rhodefer Road from East Washington Street.