BREMERTON — A state-funded project aimed at improving access to the Bremerton Ferry Terminal will add new bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements on three busy streets downtown next summer.

New bike lanes will be installed on Washington Avenue and Burwell Street, in addition to improved lighting at three crosswalks near the ferry terminal. The project will be paid for with a $200,000 "complete streets" grant from the state, plus $50,000 in city funds.

The project's goal is to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians traveling to and from the ferry terminal. Congestion during peak commute times at two main intersections downtown — Washington and Burwell, and Burwell and Pacific Avenue — can be confusing and dangerous for cyclists, city project manager Chris Dimmitt said.

"We've never had any kind of bike lane or infrastructure to help guide cyclists and kind of separate them from cars. Right now, it's a free for all," Dimmitt said.

One new bike lane will run north from the ferry terminal on Washington, meant for cyclists getting off the ferry. That lane will connect with existing the existing bike lane that begins at Washington and Fifth Street and continues across the Manette Bridge.

The second lane will run westbound on Burwell between Washington and Pacific, for riders heading to the terminal. To make room for the bike lane, the parking spaces on the north side of Burwell will be moved to the other side of the street, closer to the parking garage.

At the terminal, Washington State Ferries will designate a section of the area near the tollbooths for cyclists to enter. The work will also include improved signage for cyclists.

Pedestrians have also complained about poor lighting and near misses at the crosswalks on Pacific Avenue south of Burwell, city managing engineer Shane Weber said. Part of designing the project will include an examination of the lighting issues and possible improvements, like brighter bulbs or flashing signs.

"We're not quite sure what we have to do now, we're looking at those upgrades," Weber said.

Certain parts of the bike lanes will be marked with a green color to indicate potential conflicts between cars and bicycles. If the budget allows, the city also hopes to add bike boxes — designated areas at the front of a lane where bikes can stop in front of vehicle traffic — at Burwell and Pacific.

"This green pavement marking will spruce up Washington and Burwell, it will provide a great benefit for bikes here in the downtown area," Weber said.

City councilman Kevin Gorman and members of the West Sound Cycling Club have helped push the project. The city redid its complete streets ordinance in 2018 and was awarded the state grant earlier this year.

Gorman, who bikes to the ferry for his commute to Seattle, said many cyclists are confused about the best route to get to the terminal. Many people bike right down Washington, a one-way street south of Burwell, to the terminal parking lot.

"It's not going to stop everybody but it will say this will be the preferred path," Gorman said.

The changes should also make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians during the winter, when riders attempting to turn left on Burwell to get to the ferry must pull out into the intersection and wait for traffic in the dark.

The project is currently in design, and work is scheduled to begin next summer. The changes should have a minimal impact on travelers since the work is largely just restriping roads and adding paint, Dimmitt said.

"I’m really excited for this project as well because it will be something that will be really effective and you'll see the impact of it really quickly," Dimmitt said.