This letter is in regard to the Park and Ride that is being proposed

for the city of North Bend between Orchard Street and Cedar Falls Way.

The project is intended to provide express bus service from North

Bend and the surrounding areas to the Eastside and Seattle. Is there really

a need for this service? If so, aren’t Park and Rides usually located closer to

interstate on-ramps than to residential areas?

The project also proposes to provide public parking for the Si

View Pool and Park, Railroad Depot, Torguson Park, Tanner Trail, the

post office, and two schools. More parking for the post office? And, I

certainly don’t want my children walking to either school from the proposed

site. Consider the current public parking lot on North Bend Way. It is more

centrally located, is never full, and currently contains a lot of `for sale’

vehicles. And, as for Si View Pool and Park, doesn’t a park need

parking? Isn’t there ample non-ballfield property at this location for the county

to address its own parking needs on its own property?

Try making a left-hand turn from Cedar Falls Way onto North

Bend Way. Buses and commuters would only aggravate this

already-congested area. In addition, Cedar Falls

Way would become the defacto route to I-90 — what a nightmare for those

residents on Cedar Falls.

The project states that the Park and Rides at Eastgate and Issaquah are

at capacity. What about the Park and Ride just off I-90 in Preston?

According to King County Metro, this lot is not at capacity.

Additionally, this Park and Ride violates the top three Broad

Community Goals as defined in a recent citywide survey.

Goal #1 — Retain Rural Character: Does drawing commuters and

diesel buses into downtown maintain our “rural character”? We already have

a congestion problem all along North Bend Way.

Goal #2 — Preserve/Purchase Large Natural Areas for Open

Space: Does replacing trees and natural vegetation with pavement, parked

cars, artificial lighting, bus and automobile fumes, and fencing describe the

kind of open space the citizens of North Bend want?

Goal #3 — Preserve the Integrity of Existing Neighborhoods:

How many citizens living within proximity of this proposed Park and Ride

would view an increase in traffic, crime, noise, and pollution as preservation

of the integrity of their neighborhood?

Is a Park and Ride really necessary for North Bend? If so,

shouldn’t it be located closer to I-90? Is the proposed site between Cedar Falls

Way and Orchard Drive really the safest and most centrally located land

available for the “so called” overflow

parking needs? As a citizen of North Bend, I would like a more thorough

analysis before such conclusions are drawn.

Barbara Scott

North Bend