Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASUREShistoric Mosquito Fleet docks along the way. It is a route for usage by commuters, school children, bicycle touringgroups, recreational users, and tourists. It links cultural resources and scenic sites, parks and docks, businesses andschools, transit and public facilities, and communities and cities. It connects all four of the county’s cities and 25 ofthe county’s communities.In fall 1999, the County began the planning process for this trail corridor with an extensive inventory of the routeand an in-depth public process to ensure the development of a master plan that would reflect the needs andconcerns of the citizens of Kitsap County.The trail is an approximate 100-mile roadside hike and bike route along the shores of the Kitsap Peninsula. Theroute will be marked with distinctive signs, making it easy to follow on foot, by bicycle, or by automobile. It linksthe old Mosquito Fleet docks from Kingston to Southworth. It provides access to many other interesting stoppingpoints including villages and towns, parks, historic sites, and scenic vistas (Kitsap County 2012).The Mosquito Fleet Trail Master Plan identifies “Project 7 – Bremerton to Port Orchard”. This section of the trailwould connect Port Orchard with Bremerton through the Gorst UGA. The primary route would provide a separatedpath that would generally follow SR 16 and SR 3 through Gorst. A secondary route is also identified that wouldinclude pave shoulders on Sherman Heights Road, Kent Avenue, 3 rd Avenue and Union Avenue. This secondaryroute would connect to the primary corridor at SR 3 and Sherman Heights road and continue north to WernerRoad.Gorst- Heins Creek TrailsThe City of Bremerton is considering a number of options for a Gorst –Heins Creek trail system that would beultimately be part of the Kitsap Regional Trail currently being considered as part of a non-motorized plan beingdeveloped by Kitsap County. This trail system would provide a connection to the Gorst UGA and would head northtoward Heins Lake. Approximately 6.5 miles of trail alignments have been considered with options for additionalconnections and side trails as necessary. Approximately 1/4 of a mile of trail currently exists with Jarstad Parkwhich would be the beginning of this proposed trail system.Air TravelBremerton National AirportKitsap County is served by Bremerton National Airport, which is the county’s major public airport. It is considered aWashington State Public Use Airport identified in the Washington State Aviation System Plan. WSDOT guidelinesaddress airport land use compatibility for public use airports.The Bremerton National Airport is approximate four miles south of the Gorst UGA and is owned and operated bythe Port of Bremerton. Charter, rental, flight instruction, maintenance, and avionics services are available at theairport. The airport has two runways, only one of which is now in use. This runway has the capacity of more thantwice the current number of takeoffs and landings. In addition, the runway is sufficiently long to handle planes thatare larger than the current aircraft size using this facility; the Navy has expressed an interest in upgraded facilitiesto support even larger aircraft.Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International AirportSea-Tac International Airport, located in King County, is the principal passenger air terminal serving Kitsap Countyresidents and businesses. Access to the airport from the Gorst UGA is via SR 16 and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge toInterstate 5, as well as via ferry service to Edmonds, Seattle, and Fauntleroy and then ground transportation to theairport via SR 99 or Interstate 5. Travel time from the Gorst UGAS to Sea-Tac via Tacoma is slightly more than onehour during nonpeak travel times. An airport shuttle service operates hourly from Bremerton and other points inKitsap County to the airport.Draft | June 2013 3-163