Highway 101 speed limit is 55mph in both directions approaching and leaving this area. Within the area the speed drops to 45 mph with no real logical reason for the speed decrease evident beyond possibly a smaller area at the turn to State Route 20. There are a few businesses in the area, but are located well off the roadway. The State Patrol seems to delight in parking in front of Fat Smitty’s restaurant or in the entrance to a State road maintenance lot just west of where the speed changes. This area is under Port Townsend court system jurisdiction and ticketing seems to increase as the end of the month nears – perhaps to meet income quotas. At night with no open businesses and with almost no lighting evidence of population present seems to be particularly a good time for playing gotch as those who initially slow to 45 unconsciously tend to return to 55 due to lack of any apparent reason for the lower speed limit. This trap is also mentioned secondarily on a speed trap notice for Sequim near Diamond Point.

2/2008