Thanks to the city for posting the Town Center 20-Year Visioning Plan online for everyone’s review. I was impressed with the thoroughness of the development and design standards and appreciate the amount of time and thoughtfulness that went into this process.

That being said, I am very concerned, which I expressed in an earlier letter to the council, over the elimination of the bicycle lanes on 78th (see page 36).

There are no bike lanes indicated on 77th either. Where are bicycle lanes in the Town Center included in the revised plan?

I notice that new construction is to include space to accommodates bikes, even encourage lockers and showers assuming residents or employees will shop/commute by bike.

Other city policies encourage bicycle use, including efforts to get children to ride bikes to school. There are increasing numbers of children living in the Town Center apartments. Where are the Safe Streets to School? The city is adding yearly to the paved shoulder bike lanes on the Mercer Ways, which have increased the safety for both drivers and cyclists.

It is completely inconsistent with the city’s stated goals to encourage cycling while eliminating this safety factor in the Town Center. Certainly this mistake can be rectified.

I served on the Planning Commission when the former town of Mercer Island was incorporated into the city of Mercer Island. The Comprehensive Plan was revised at that time to include a traffic circulation plan that designated 77 Avenue Southeast and 80th Avenue Southeast as the major traffic corridors leaving 78th as the slow traffic, pedestrian-oriented street.

Was this drastic change to the transportation plan included in the discussions? Although I certainly applaud the pedestrian focus of the new Town Center plan, it should not come at the complete elimination of safe bicycle lanes. Please give this some more thought.

June Lindsey

Mercer Island