| The Olympic Peninsula is a beautiful place to visit. We come at least once a year from Oregon to stay in Port Townsend. We stop on the way to buy gas, shop, and eat meals in Kitsap County. We stay at a hotel on the peninsula.
We spend money on the Peninsula. In October a friend and I attended an event at Ft. Worden in Port Townsend. We had a great time and she planned to bring her husband back for a vacation. So, why am I writing? Because I received a notice in the mail that I owe $49 because I didn’t pay a toll. “What toll?” I wondered. I didn’t see a toll booth. My passenger also didn’t.
I phoned Kitsap County Circuit Court and found out there is a toll for the Narrows Bridge. The operator told me that she receives “50 calls” a day from people who got citations, and didn’t know anything about the toll. If 50 people a day can’t see it — then there is a problem and one that needs fixing. This is a problem that primarily affects tourists, obviously.
Do you have any idea how angrifying it is to get a citation for something you had no idea even existed? Obviously the toll booth is not obvious enough — would I really evade a $3 toll, after spending a great vacation and a great deal of money in Kitsap County? This situation doesn’t help attract return tourist business. Which means that ultimately the county loses more than the $49 fine. I suggest local Chambers of Commerce speak up and try to fix this problem. Ultimately, it’s the businesses that will be hurt.
Terry Weiss
Corvallis, Oregon
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