This is in response to the letter of Feb. 2 which suggested discussing linking S.E. 53rd to West Mercer Way. That same idea was proposed in the mid-1970s and subsequently rejected by both the Planning Commission and the City Council. The reasons for the city’s decision are as valid today as they were then. Chief among these reasons was the threat to safety. Drawing more traffic to a school zone and virtually to Island Park School’s front door (if the west and east sections of S.E. 53rd were aligned at a four-way intersection) seemed unduly hazardous. In fact, as a result of the two aforementioned meetings, access to Island Crest for the neighborhood below the school was moved 50 yards north so that it would be farther away from the school zone. It was a rewarding experience for all who were involved in the decision process — citizens and city staff worked together to ensure public safety.

Timothy Crow