New vision for transportation solutions
Published 11:42 am Tuesday, September 1, 2015
A new community organization called Vision Mercer Island has been created to educate residents about complex transportation issues facing the Island, said Lori Otto Punke, the group’s executive director.
The nonprofit group will conduct an anonymous online survey to identify concerns about the impact of planned infrastructure changes to the community, including construction closures and route modifications on I-90, rerouting buses, Park and Ride traffic and Sound Transit’s East Link light rail expansion project and the Mercer Island Station.
“We need a transportation plan that benefits Mercer Island as well as the region,” Punke said. “Traffic is bad and about to get worse, so we formed Vision Mercer Island to give Island residents a forum to share real concerns about how changes to regional transportation systems will impact our community.”
While the goal of these projects is to improve transit availability, the resulting traffic impacts will make it significantly harder for drivers to get on, off and around Mercer Island, according to a Vision Mercer Island press release.
Vision Mercer Island is forming at a time when input from Mercer Island residents is not only needed, but requested by government officials and agencies. Sound Transit approved a motion to seek more input from Island residents before moving ahead with existing plans for light rail, with King County Executive Dow Constantine and State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson, both Sound Transit board members, encouraging King County Metro and the Washington State Department of Transportation, respectively, to participate in the process.
The agencies plan to host a series of public meetings and drop-in sessions over the next two months to listen to residents’ concerns. The first will be from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Community Center.
The online survey is not paid for, sponsored by, or affiliated with the City of Mercer Island, the City Council, Sound Transit or any other government entity, official or candidate. Its goal is to gather input and better understand community needs and expectations, so the Island will be better able to engage in responsible dialogue and create a climate for a transportation plan that supports a strong and vibrant future.
“We like to say that sustainable transportation solutions start here on Mercer Island – and this is a distinct moment in time to highlight the challenges, opportunities, and impacts transportation has on our community,” Punke said. “Mercer Island has a proud history of creating extraordinary transportation outcomes that benefit our community and greater region alike, and we need to work together to keep that legacy alive now.”
For more information, visit www.visionmercerisland.org. Take the survey here.
