Save Richmond Beach has questions for the City of Shoreline
Monday, June 2, 2014
"The city continues to work on finishing the Point Wells Traffic Corridor
Study (TCS) and expects to present the results in an open house later
this summer.
"The agreement between the City and the developer, BSRE, states that the
objective of the study is "to designate mitigation for traffic impacts
of the [BSRE] Point Wells development which will create or improve
multimodal mobility...which will maintain and improve safety for all
users..."
Designating mitigation is an important goal, but how are we to decide
whether the proposed mitigation will "maintain and improve safety for
all users"? Here are some specific safety questions we think the TCS
needs to answer.
- Richmond Beach Road and 3rd NW is the most dangerous intersection in Shoreline. Will this intersection be less dangerous or more dangerous?
- What other arterial streets will receive more traffic as people avoid Richmond Beach Road? How will that increased traffic on these streets affect pedestrian safety and traffic safety at intersections that will be much busier than before? Will one of these intersections replace 3rd NW as the most dangerous intersection in Shoreline?
- Will cut-through traffic turn neighborhood streets into new arterials that need sidewalks and better controls at intersections?
- Will the morning backup at 175th and I-5 extend west beyond Meridian? How does that affect safety for students at Meridian Park Elementary?
- Will the evening backup at 175th and I-5 extend south on I-5? Does that cause more collisions on I-5?
- Will we need sidewalks on 15th NW for kids walking to Syre?
- Will we need a better sidewalk on 3rd NW for kids walking to Einstein?
- Will we need sidewalks on Fremont for kids walking to Shorewood?"
The City of Shoreline has invited all residents, not just those in Richmond Beach, to make comments and express concerns about traffic resulting from thousands of new residential units at Point Wells. An email message to council@shorelinewa.gov will reach all City Council members.
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3 comments:
Can someone provide a reference designating 3rd NW and Richmond Beach Rd as the most dangerous intersection in Shoreline.
Once again, SRB is stirring the pot, trying to get folks to take action, and the City Council could care less about these questions or our feelings. SRB is out of touch with the fact that this is a closed issue and we the people have no ability to change one bit of the plan in place.
We live in a democracy. We resort to voting rather than coercion and compulsion to put the best people in charge of our government. But there is no guarantee the majority will succeed in electing candidates who are both competent and ethical, as history as shown time and again. Though there is no better form of government out there, democracy is fallible. The majority always 'wins,' but that doesn't mean they always achieve their end, i.e., good government. Stockholders elect their boards of directors, yet companies go bankrupt every day.
Many voters are oblivious or clueless and will always remain so. There is no reaching them. And there are others who are committed to principles that are in fact unsound, or prefer candidates they believe are worthy but are in fact not. When these two groups make a majority, we get junk. We get the government we deserve, if not the one we intend.
But there are those relatively few conscientious voters who care enough to spend the time and energy to keep a watchful eye on the organization and operation of their government—and let's face it, the majority could not be bothered. They refuse to sit idly by and take their lumps just because they happen to find themselves holding the minority view from time to time. Some vainly try to persuade the elected officials of the error of their ways. This is largely a waste of time, as critics are quick to point out. So long as the officials have the will of the majority—and by definition they always do—they will tend to righteously ignore the minority position, however cogent.
Fortunately there is a better approach; there always has been. It is to try to change the mind of the voters by arguing for better principles and policies, and recommending better men and women for political office. Instead of sidestepping the will of the people, change it. That is using our electoral process, not circumventing it.
Naysayers chide them though, attempting to silence them through ridicule. They see public comment as a useless nuisance, as an attempt to hijack the will of the majority. They regard the citizens' powers of petition for initiative and referendum as costly interference in the affairs of government rather than a vital component of self-government.
Hip, hip for Save Richmond Beach and those like them, for ignoring the naysayers and trying to wake the Shoreline voters to the horror that is Point Wells, and the complicity of the City of Shoreline, whether through ignorance, bad policy, or corruption. Their attempts to prevent this catastrophe, first through litigation, and now by increased effort to raise public awareness, may well fail. But such civic mindedness is best for our community in the long run, and those who would shut them up should be ashamed.
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