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Handout - Audience Comment - Paul Ouellette
1ItW1O’13/’’/’1To:RentonMayor&citycouncilMarch1$,2019Subject:LocalTransportationDearSirs,SinceIwasheretoreviewanddiscusssomerecentrevisiontotrafficlightchangesIthoughtitappropriatetooffersomeobservationsandcommentsontherecentlycompletedfly-overconnectionbetweenHwy405&Hwy167.Icanrecallreadinginthelocalpapersometwoyearsagoashortstoryaboutthelongdiscussedandawaitedchangesthatweretobemadetotheworstintersectioninthecountyandstate.Thearticlementionedthatthefly-overcouldbeforexpresslanesonly.ThiswasnotpublicizedsomanycitizensandIdidnotmaketoomuchofthis.SurelyourgreatCityrepresentativeswouldnotletthishappen!SoasanEngineerandresidinginRollingHills,itwaswithmuchinterestthatIwatchthisconstructionproceed.Itappearedwideenoughthatitwouldhavemultiplelanestoaccommodateexpressaswellasregulartraffic.Sowhenitopenedafewweeksagoyoucanimaginetheconsternationofmanyresidentsandmyselftoseethismostlyemptyfly-overwithnoimprovementtotheterriblecongestionthathappenseverydayatthisintersection.Forafly-overdesignedtoaccommodatevanpoolsandbussesonlyitwillremainunder-occupied.BusseswillnottiseitsincetheyexittotheCitystreetstoloadandunloadpassengersandsimplyaddtheCitystreetcongestion.Hwy405willremainatotalblockageforlocalexitstoRainierAvandTalbotRd.Hwy167willremaincongestedfromnumeroustrucksbackedupasfarsouthat212thSt.ItappearstomethatourCityofficialshavebeenbamboozledbyourbureaucratsinOlympiaandKingCountytoallowthemtodictatehowthelocalCitystreetswillcontinuetobecongestedandspendmillionsofourtax$$torevisethisintersectionthatoffersnoimprovementforRenton.IknowthatlocalCitymanagerscanmakeadifferencewhenenoughpressureisplacedonthoseincharge.YouonlyhavetolookattherecentrevisionstoHwy405inBellevueatNE8thandHwy520.Theimprovementsincluderegularlanesaswellasexpresslanes.Iknowthatmanyorganizationsandcommunitiesemployconsultantsandlobbyiststopromotetheirpetprojects.IwouldhavethoughtthatsomeofyouonthecouncilorCitystaffwouldhavebeenverboseenoughtolookoutforourRentonresidentsandnotletthisprojectproceedasitdidorelsehirepersonnelthatcouldhelpyou.IalsoknowMr.Mayorthatyouandsomeonthecouncilhavebeenourrepresentativesformanyyears.Youareherevoluntarilysinceyourunforre-electionandmanyproposechangesduringyourelectioncampaigns.NowIknowthatactivistscaneffectchangestoproposedprojectssinceIwaspersonallyinvolvedinchangesforthelocationofourbelovedlibraryandwassuccessfulinourefforts.ManyofusandIdidnotrealizethatweneededtobecomeactivistsagaintohaveourlocaltrafficconditionsimprove.Afterallthat’swhyweelectedyouandwehavegreatrepresentativesandyouwouldnotletthishappen.Thisfly-overprojectwasnotpublicizedandmostofushavebeenblind-sidedanddidnotrealizewhatwasproposedandhowyouallletthishappen.IamprovidingyouacopyofmyremarksandIwouldproposethatyouhavethempublishedandgetfurtherreactionsfrommoreRentonresidentsaftertheyexperiencethecontinuedtrafficjambsonourlocalfreewaysandCitystreets.YoursTruly,PaulOuellette