Boat launch bollards a little up and down

By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald

By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald

The automated boat launch system at the Allan Yorke Park kicked off during last week's hot spell and it was little rocky.

The system was installed in May and includes two metal bollards or poles, one on each lane, that raise and lower allowing boats to be launched or loaded after someone pays at a nearby kiosk.

Non-residents pay $8.50 each way or $17 for a round trip and residents can purchase a $25 card that allows unlimited launches for the season for one boat.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The temperature rose to nearly 100 degrees July 11 and people form across the region descended on the lake with their boats, families and friends in tow. Unfortunately the glut of boaters over taxed the system and the two roads, West Tapps Highway and Bonney Lake Boulevard, to point of gridlock.

Bonney Lake police officers directed traffic and tried to assist people attempting to figure how make payments to drop the bollards and back their boats down the ramp, often with little patience on the part of those waiting.

Police Chief Mike Mitchell said five officers worked until nearly midnight after the bollards shut down at 10 p.m., stranding numerous boaters on the lake.

At times during the day and evening, traffic was backed up to Emerald Hills Elementary on West Tapps Highway as boaters tried to line up for the launch.

Thursday, the temperature dropped considerably and there was less traffic, but around 8 p.m. boaters were lined up four and five deep trying to launch and load.

One family launching their craft began arguing with men on a boat trying to get to the launch to load.

Sgt. Ron Sasaki and officers Tony Rice and Brian Vansickle came to the scene and settled the situation. The officers directed traffic, assisted people at the kiosk and helped people figure out how to back down the ramp.

Mitchell and a group of officers met Thursday morning at the park to figure out how to resolve some of the problems.

&#8220We want to help the congestion and safety problems,” Mitchell said. &#8220We are looking at how to improve the lighting and signs for parking and other issues.”

Community Services Director Gary Leaf said the automated system had some successes and some failures last week.

&#8220On a 100 degree day we will have backups,” Leaf said. &#8220There is a lot of traffic going through West Tapps. People will get used to the system. But most of the problems (with the system shutting down) had to do with lake levels, which are still too low.”

When the system shut down at around 10 p.m. July 11, Leaf said the system was set to close down at that time.

&#8220It's set up to shut off at 11 p.m. now,” Leaf said. &#8220The lake is not meant to have people on it after that time.”

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.