Sims Way Corridor Project Planning

The PUD is collaborating with the Port and City of Port Townsend on planning for right of way improvements along Sims Way between the Boat Haven and Kah Tai Lagoon. The project, once complete, would allow the Port to add an acre of working space to the boatyard; the PUD to remove hazard trees growing into powerlines; and the City to replace the tall poplars bordering Kah Tai with smaller less hazardous plantings.

PUD Operations Director Scott Bancroft describes the trees adjacent to the Boat Haven as fire and outage risks and supports their removal. “They never should have been planted there because they’ve grown up right into our power lines. You can see a line of burn marks where they’re contacting the wires. Trimming doesn’t solve the problem. They need to come out.”

Total project cost is estimated at $1.97M, and includes undergrounding of powerlines and installation of a new walking path. According to Port staff, expanding the Boat Haven to the very edge of the right of way increases the yard size by 5% and could support up to 20 new jobs. And without overhead powerlines to worry about, taller and larger boats can be set up for repair in the acreage added by the project.

No start date has been given for the project, and it is not included in the PUD’s 2022 budget. Port, City, and PUD staff plan to engage in public outreach and explore joint funding and design options in 2022.