Jessie Stensland reports from the Island County Commissioners’ board meeting of Tue., June 10, 2025 for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity AI
Oak Harbor City Council members approved new speed limits along a state-managed highway segment to align local codes with Washington State transportation safety plans adopted in 2024 and 2025. Residents like Tabitha Bailar opposed the changes, arguing the road is not a school zone or heavy pedestrian area and warning the limits would punish drivers without improving safety. Councilmembers Christopher Wiegenstein and James Marrow defended the ordinance, stressing that speeding drivers are typically those who complain and that change is often uncomfortable but necessary for public safety.
They Said It
Island County resident Tabitha Bailar wrote a public comment in disagreement with the speed limit change, arguing that the section of road is not in a “school zone or highly trafficked pedestrian area,” she stated.
“People who are going to speed regardless of the limit,” Bailar wrote. “Please, do not vote to approve these speed limits. It just seems like you’re trying to make life miserable and try to ticket people for no good reason.”
Councilmember Christopher Wiegenstein acknowledged Bailar’s concerns but said it is necessary, even if it makes some drivers uncomfortable.
Echoing his statement, Councilmember James Marrow remembered that a traffic law enforcement chief once told him “the people who are complaining the most are exactly the ones that are driving 80 miles an hour in a school zone,” he said.
“Change is difficult for sure, but especially when it runs against the grain of expectation,” he said. “So I think these changes are excellent.”
