Washington State Route 3

On Sunday, March 16, 2008, we drove the length of Highway 3, which goes the length of the Kitsap Peninsula. A much shorter drive than last month, that's for sure.

RCW 47.17.010
State route No. 3:

A state highway to be known as state route number 3 is established as follows:

Beginning at a junction with state route number 101 at Shelton, thence northeasterly to a junction with state route number 302 at Allyn; also

From that junction with state route number 302 at Allyn, thence northeasterly to a junction with state route number 106 in the vicinity of Belfair; also

From that junction with state route number 106 in the vicinity of Belfair, thence northeasterly by the most feasible route to Bremerton, thence northerly and easterly by the most feasible route in the vicinity of Poulsbo to a junction with state route number 104 in the vicinity of Port Gamble.

The south end of Highway 3, at US 101 just south of Shelton. Rather nondescript, I'd say.


Through Shelton, up past scenic Oakland Bay, and past the town of Allyn to the narrow neck of the Kitsap Peninsula and SR 302.


Just a few miles later, we're on the west side of the peninsula, near the very tip of Hood Canal. Not that we could see it from there. Just SR 106.


Into the town of Belfair we go, and thus the junction with SR 300.


Over the hill we go and down towards Gorst, Sinclair Inlet, and SR 16. If we had wanted to drive to this point the quick way, we would have come across the Narrows Bridge on SR 16. But we weren't doing this to go the quick way.


The freeway starts and we drive up Sinclair Inlet. Off to the right is the Navy base. A whole bunch of warships. Take SR 304 to get there, if you want.


Passing Bremerton by, we find SR 310.


After passing Chico (I thought that was in California?), the freeway continues around Silverdale. When you get to SR 303, you're already at the north end of town, but it's a good way to the Kitsap Mall (if you're into that sort of thing).


Exit on SR 308 if you want to play with submarines.


A mile later, at the north end of Poulsbo, we find SR 305. The freeway ends shortly thereafter.


Keep going north and you come to the end of the road. Well, not exactly. Just the end of SR 3. You can take a left onto SR 104 and the Hood Canal Floating Bridge to get to the Olympic Peninsula. If you go straight, you're also on SR 104, but headed toward Port Gamble a mile away and eventually the Kingston ferry.

That's where we headed. Our short, 60-mile drive of State Route 3 was over and I was hungry.