A new report on Ericksen/Hildebrand offers traffic data to the decade-old debate.

Many drivers have found a loophole in the debate over whether to connect Hildebrand Lane to Ericksen Avenue.

It’s a circuitous route through a private lane, over a gamut of speed bumps and bisecting a bank parking lot.

A recent report shows that about 100 drivers an hour in the early evening take this route, which adds traction to the report’s conclusion: the city should seriously consider making the unofficial connection official.

“They key piece of information here is the number of cars,” said City Councilwoman Debbie Vanicil who, along with her council colleagues, will discuss the report tonight at City Hall. “This is the first box we needed to check. It gives us a baseline of information…and tells me we should be making this a priority for the community.”

The report, commissioned by the city and conducted by Transpo Group consultants, shows about 180 vehicles typically pass through Frontier Bank’s west parking lot between 4 and 6 p.m.

Winslow’s traffic is expected to increase by 30 percent over the next 23 years, while residential development along Ericksen will likely swell by 160 percent, according to the report.

Connecting Hildebrand and Ericksen would likely draw more traffic to the immediate area – especially at the intersection of Hildebrand and High School Road – but would likely have little impact farther south, near Wyatt Way.

Hildebrand and Ericksen are today separated by a small park with a pedestrian pathway. Many motorists make the short detour through a private commercial area to continue their north- or south-bound trips.

Talk of linking the two streets has elicited strong feelings for over a decade. Some fear a connection would boost traffic in Ericksen and alter the neighborhood’s character. Business leaders, however, say the link is key for commercial vitality.

The report predicts that the connection would likely mean a 15 percent increase in traffic on the portion of Ericksen between Wallace and Wyatt ways as more drivers take advantage of streamlined route.

The portion of Ericksen south of Wyatt would likely see the same traffic rate with or without the connection.

“I don’t think that will destroy Ericksen Avenue,” said Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce Director Kevin Dwyer, a strong connection advocate. “It’s already got a flow of traffic (because) it’s between the island’s two main shopping districts. We need to make the flow easier to benefit the merchants and residents of Bainbridge Island.”

Vancil and other community leaders advocate a connection that would preserve the existing park, possibly via a winding link.

“Now we can respond to the information” presented in the report, Vancil said. “Now we can talk about the configuration of the roadway and have more discussion on the park.”

While such a link may not be the most direct route, Dwyer said “any type of connection is better than no connection.

“This has been festering for 15 or 16 years now. We’ve got to start somewhere.”

The City Council will discuss the report on connecting Hildebrand Lane and Ericksen Avenue tonight at City Hall starting at 5 p.m.