Road diet will increase safety

Now that the electoral season has come to a close, we should all take a deep breath, clear our collective thoughts and refocus on the facts about the Island Crest Way three-lane reconfiguration plan.

Fixing ICW is fundamentally about increasing safety and building community, not politics. How can anyone say with a straight face that having a four-lane highway running right through the middle of our single-family neighborhoods is safe or desirable? Parents are afraid to let their kids walk to school. Kids can’t easily visit friends after school because they live on opposite sides of the road. Here is how the three-lane reconfiguration works for our younger pedestrians.

For instance, at the 47th Street ICW crossing, kids must traverse two highway lanes to a tiny island, and then navigate two more lanes to reach the opposite curb. With the reconfiguration, they will only have to cross one lane to an enlarged island, then cross one more lane to the curb. Also, the three-lane option includes shoulder buffers on both sides of the road, further separating walkers from speeding cars and trucks.

Let’s bring families closer together by ridding their neighborhoods of a dangerous and unsightly highway and replacing it with a saner alternative. Get the facts about the three-lane reconfiguration by visiting www.mercerislandabc.org. The City Council will begin considering the ICW issue this month. Voice your support for change at the upcoming Nov. 16 or Dec. 7 Council meetings.

Jonathan Harrington