Naval Avenue - 1st to 15th Bicycle and Pedestrian Enhancements Project

Project Status (June 12, 2025)

Earlier this year, the Bremerton City Council approved funding to move the Naval Avenue Corridor Project into the Right of Way (ROW) acquisition phase. This phase is currently underway, with negotiations in progress to acquire the property necessary for future construction. The City was awarded an additional $1.04 million grant from the Puget Sound Regional Council, which is anticipated to fully fund the ROW phase. This grant was accepted by City Council on December 20, 2023. The construction phase of the project remains unfunded at this time.

In response to public input, the project design has been updated between 11th Street and 15th Street to include dedicated bike lanes, replacing the previously proposed shared lane markings (sharrows).

The 100% design is being developed in parallel with ROW negotiations and acquisitions. Final design includes updates to reflect property access, driveway reconstruction, and minor refinements to the 90% roadway design. The final design will also be coordinated with the adjacent 6th Street Active Transportation Improvements (ATI) Project, creating a key connection between two future multimodal corridors.

The 90% design, completed in April 2024, incorporated feedback from two previous online open house events. You can view those plans at the link below.

An in-person Open House is planned for the last half of 2025, with the date and location expected to be announced soon. Residents along the corridor are encouraged to attend and stay informed.  The open house will be focused on the property impacts along the Naval Avenue corridor and we will present the updated design to show the continuation of the bike lanes between 11th Street and 15th Street. 

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Project Overview

Naval Avenue is a centrally located corridor in the City of Bremerton that serves a diverse range of users, including single-family neighborhoods, businesses, military personnel, and students. The corridor begins at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) - one of Kitsap County’s largest employers with approximately 24,000 workers- and extends north to an area zoned for multifamily residential development. Along the route are key community assets such as Naval Avenue Elementary School, general commercial zones, and neighborhood business districts.

The project aims to deliver a balanced and inclusive transportation solution that improves safety, access, and mobility for all users - whether walking, biking, driving, or using transit.

Proposed improvements include:

• Pavement resurfacing to enhance ride quality and safety
• Wider sidewalks for pedestrian comfort and ADA accessibility
• Dedicated bike lanes to promote safe and connected bicycle travel
• Center two-way left-turn lane to support access to homes and businesses
• Signal timing and phasing improvements for smoother traffic flow
• Intersection curb bulbs to reduce crossing distances and calm traffic
• Upgraded signage and pavement markings for improved visibility and guidance
• Modified storm drainage system to improve and update the existing drainage system

Together, these enhancements are designed to create a complete street that meets the needs of all users while supporting long-term community growth.

Needs & Benefits

Naval Avenue is a centrally located five-lane minor arterial between 1st Street and 11th Street, serving over 12,000 vehicles per day. Despite its central location and importance to the community, this section of the corridor lacks key infrastructure to safely accommodate all users. Sidewalks are narrow and obstructed, failing to meet ADA standards or projected pedestrian demand. There are no dedicated bicycle facilities, and high vehicle speeds (typically around 35 MPH) create unsafe and uncomfortable conditions for people biking in shared lanes.

Recognizing these deficiencies and the corridor’s potential to support more inclusive transportation options, the City of Bremerton’s 2007 Non-Motorized Transportation Plan identified Naval Avenue as a priority route for dedicated bike lanes. In alignment with that vision, the city conducted a comprehensive traffic analysis that considered the corridor’s complex traffic patterns, including proximity to the PSNS and the diverse travel needs of residents, workers, and students.

Based on this analysis, the city is implementing a “road diet” - a roadway reconfiguration that reduces the number of vehicle lanes to provide space for wider sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes, and other safety-focused improvements. This strategy has been successfully used across Washington State to enhance transportation safety and equity while maintaining overall traffic operations.

Road Diets, when implemented effectively, has been shown to provide several benefits to all road-users:

• Improve vehicle safety by reducing conflict points and crash potential
• Enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and comfort through dedicated bike lanes, ADA-compliant facilities, wider sidewalks and a reduction of sidewalk obstructions
• Create a more predictable and efficient roadway operation, especially at side streets and driveways
• Support local vitality by creating a walkable, bikeable corridor that encourages alternative transportation modes
• Improve quality of life by promoting a healthy, accessible, and multimodal urban environment

This project supports the City of Bremerton’s commitment to building a safe, connected, and equitable transportation network that serves all users - whether walking, biking, driving, or riding transit - while aligning with regional goals for sustainable mobility and livable communities.

Timeline

1st Quarter 2020 - Design Kickoff
2nd Quarter 2020 - Held first Public Outreach Meeting
3rd Quarter 2022 - Held second Public Online Open House
Start of 2025 - ROW acquisition begins
2025 - Hold in-person Open House
End of 2026 - ROW acquisition finished
2026 - Design Complete 
2027 - Bid Advertisement
2027 & 2028 - Construction

Funding

Grant Funding for Design & ROW Phases
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program State Funding = $619,400
City Match (REET) = $32,600
Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) Grant for ROW Phase = $2,499,600
City Match (REET) = $556,433

Unfunded - Construction Phase 

Contact Us

Vicki Grover, PE
Project Manager, City of Bremerton Engineering Division
Ph: 360-473-2317
Email