The SunBreak
posted 05/26/10 11:55 AM | updated 05/26/10 11:55 AM
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"Magnolia United" Vs. Nickerson Street Road Diet?

By Michael van Baker
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Friend-of-The SunBreak and commuter cyclist Charles Redell writes in that initially he was sad to hear that the Magnolia Community Council, Queen Anne Community Council, and the North Seattle Industrial Association had formed the 15th Avenue West Transportation Coalition.

They're protesting the city's decision to put W. Nickerson St. on a "road diet": "essentially, removing one eastbound and one westbound lane, adding bike lanes or sharrows, and adding a center turn lane," sums up Publicola.

But then he read the Magnolia Community Club's letter to SDOT (pdf), which, he thought, took things too far. It opens with president Randall Thomsen saying that, "I write on behalf on the Magnolia Community Club, which represents the approximately 24,000 residents of Magnolia."

The MCC, after all, is made up of a dues-paying membership ($10 per year minimum), and while not listing its membership on its site, is able to convene its general meetings at the Blaine School Cafeteria and has 13 fans on Facebook. In any event, Redell lives in Magnolia, and he bridled at their claiming to represent his views.

So he did what anyone would do, and commented on the Magnolia Voice blog. Redell pointed to the previous opposition to the Stone Way road diet, and to SDOT's study (pdf), two years later, showing that the project reduced speeding and accidents for cars and bikes, while maintaining acceptable traffic volume.

To his surprise, a number of commenters chimed in with encouragement. So Redell created a Google Group: Supporters of the Nickerson St. Road Diet. Volunteers who want to help can email NickersonRoadDiet at Gmail, and add a little diversity to Magnolia's political lobbying.

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