Councilman Mike Grady continues to display irrational behavior. A few days ago he stated his priorities as “Creating safe routes on the Island to bike/walk to work, to our schools, and to our Town Center.” Yet in the same week that he wrote those words, he voted to suspend the ICW three-lane configuration on the eve of its implementation. He flip-flopped his vote on a safety solution recommended by the Mercer Island Citizens Panel, an engineering report and public input. He did this while the citizens, who believed their will had been represented, were looking the other way. Mike Grady claims that safety is his big priority and he describes his recent biking accident as a “near death experience,” yet he voted to divert this year’s funding for ICW to repave residential streets.

The votes to suspend the ICW three-lane configuration by Councilmen Grady, Litzow, Cero and Jahncke is outrageous given the recent accidents on ICW. As many have commented in public hearings, it is only a matter of time before someone is killed. Too many times, a driver in one lane has stopped and a driver in an adjacent lane drives through the crosswalk while someone is in it. This is exactly how Alec Langston got hit by a car as he crossed Island Crest on his way home from school a few weeks ago. And, it is why the corridor must be narrowed, as the data shows it is the best way to address this problem. Many of us are so angry with Grady’s hypocrisy that we are starting a petition drive to recall Mike Grady. The recall campaign planning is underway and will continue until the will of Mercer Island citizens is represented by our City Council.

Carol Gullstad