PORT ANGELES – Since the death of Brooke Bedinger in June as the result of motorcycle crash in the Morse Creek section of Highway 101 near Port Angeles, her family has begun to promote the idea of having concrete barriers installed in the center of the highway.

Bedinger, 19, somehow lost control of her Harley-Davidson and crossed the center line into oncoming traffic. Her parents Don and Kim believe that the so-called jersey barriers, had there been any, might have saved their daughter’s life.

John Wynands, from the Washington Department of Transportation, met with the family on September 11 to listen to their concerns.

We got him on the phone to talk about the alternatives, beginning with his thoughts on putting up jersey barriers.

That doesn’t necessarily rule them out, but he says there is the issue of the two roads in that section where cars are required to cross the center to get on and off. It creates it’s own set of problems, but it’s being looked at.

Wynands says the ideal solution would be to install a median section, something like a planted boulevard, along the entire length.

That project would be expensive, about $5 million, but it’s also being studied. In the meantime, Wynands says that there is a plan to paint a wider yellow band down the center of highway next summer, while the other options are discussed.

He says he promised the Bedinger family that he would continue to stay in touch during the process.