Repainting left no room to park, ride

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, July 26, 2001

By Leslie Moriarty

Herald Writer

MONROE — It wasn’t the way Curtis Myers wanted to begin his day. But he got up a half-hour earlier Wednesday to drive his wife, Kerry, to the Monroe park and ride on U.S. 2.

It was the only thing they could figure out to get them out of the pickle Community Transit had left them in.

It seems Everett-based Community Transit was in the midst of repainting the lines that divide the parking spaces at the park and ride and didn’t get the job done last weekend.

So Community Transit had to close part of the lot to finish the job this week.

The problem was that riders such Myers were notified only when they arrived at the park and ride after work Tuesday. That didn’t give her long to make other plans for meeting her vanpool, which takes her to her job in Seattle.

"I think they should’ve done it on the weekend, and they should’ve given us some warning," Kerry Myers said.

The Myerses decided the best solution would be for Curtis to drive her to meet the vanpool and come back again at the end of the day to pick her up.

"Luckily, we worked it out to do that," Curtis Myers said. "Otherwise, I’m not sure what we would have done."

Myers said when he arrived at the park and ride Wednesday at 6:45 a.m. the few parking spaces that were available were taken. He said some people were parking on the grass. The lot is at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, and grass parking is available.

Community Transit spokesman Tom Pearce said after the work was finished last weekend, notices were posted that portions of the lot would be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, but he wasn’t sure when the notices went up.

He said the painting would expected be done by nightfall Wednesday. He said the company received only one call about the closure.

You can call Herald Writer Leslie Moriarty at 425-339-3436

or send e-mail to moriarty@heraldnet.com.