Unfortunately, my wife and I have been out of the city for the last couple of months or we would have been at the last meeting of the Island Crest Way Citizen Panel to voice our objection to the “two-lane diet.” I have lived in the southern portion of Mercer Island for the last 35 years and have traveled Island Crest Way most every day of my working life. While I agree that the current configuration at Merrimount may have improved the situation from its previous state, I am here to tell you that the two-lane diet south of that intersection does nothing to improve the situation there.

While I have not personally witnessed any accidents at that intersection, I have seen several near misses from last-minute lane changers going southbound on Island Crest Way and merging at the last minute into the center lane, causing people in the center through-lane to jam on their brakes.

I believe your comment that it is not the overwhelming majority of Mercer Islanders who want the signal is probably correct, unless you poll the people who travel through that intersection regularly. I would think that you would then find an overwhelming majority.

The only question I have to ask is: What is the cost of one life that is lost after your desired option to the two-lane diet? $1.5 million?

Stuart Weinstein