After years of serious and sometimes fatal crashes at the intersection of State Route 305 and High School Road, state transportation planners are looking to calm things down with a roundabout. WSDOT is inviting Bainbridge Island residents to an in-person open house next Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Woodward Middle School and is also collecting feedback online as the project moves through its pre-design phase.
What WSDOT Is Proposing
The plan on the table would swap out the current signalized junction for a single-lane roundabout, while WSDOT also studies potential Complete Streets upgrades for people walking, biking, and heading to and from the ferry. According to WSDOT, the agency will be gathering data and public input throughout the pre-design process.
Why A Roundabout
The crossing landed on the state's safety priority list after multiple fatal and serious-injury collisions, according to local reporting. Federal research and guidance say modern roundabouts can significantly cut the risk of deadly and high-severity crashes, which is a big part of why engineers like them in spots like this, see FHWA.
How To Weigh In
WSDOT plans to host an open house with staff on hand and project displays from 5 to 7 p.m. next Wednesday at Woodward Middle School, and the agency says there will also be an online open house. The pre-design page outlines the study timeline, links to engagement materials, and invites written comments, see WSDOT. The agency also shared the announcement on Facebook.
Local Reaction And Next Steps
City leaders have already signed off on funding for a design charette, and community groups are urging neighbors to weigh in on bike, pedestrian and school-route connections around the intersection. The Bainbridge Island Review reports that WSDOT began pre-design work in mid-2025 and expects to move into design in 2026, with construction potentially following later depending on funding, see Bainbridge Island Review.
Planners say the goal is straightforward, to lower speeds and reduce conflict points so that when crashes do happen, far fewer of them result in severe injuries or deaths. Residents who want their concerns heard are being urged to show up at the open house or dig into the materials on the WSDOT engagement page while the project is still in pre-design.
