This Letter to the Editor was submitted by local resident Bill Hirt.
Editor,
Mercer Island officials are making a mistake if they think an EIS will prevent the legislature from imposing I-90 tolls to help fund 520 bridge construction. Sound Transit can easily argue that the benefits from reduced I-90 congestion from imposing the tolls out weighs the increased congestion from those opting to go around lake to avoid tolls.
Of course, if Sound Transit were really interested in reducing I-90 congestion they could have added the 4th lanes to the outer roadways 15 years ago. Instead they have delayed that action until 2016 to avoid any suggestion they initiate BRT on the center roadways; knowing that doing so would have ended cross-lake light rail forever.
The impact of the I-90 tolls Mercer Island commuters will likely have to pay is dwarfed by their loss of center bridge access from East Link. Sound Transits own studies show that adding the 4th lane to the outer roadway will not make up for the loss of the center roadway.
Mercer Island officials could stop both the tolls and the increased I-90 congestion by speaking out about stopping East Link. The $200 million Sound Transit will probably “invest” next year could be diverted to eliminate the tolls on both bridges, add the 4th lane to the outer roadways, and to initiate BRT service on the center roadway.
Mercer Island commuters and the entire east side could benefit.
Bill Hirt (See blog http://stopeastlinknow.blogspot.com for more details)
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