Snohomish city plan for Second Street would harm residents

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Snohomish Mayor John Kartak applied for a state grant to design a major makeover of Second Street, currently a major commercial corridor, into a more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly minor arterial.

Thanks to state Sen. Steve Hobbs, the city received the design grant to accomplish the mayor’s vision of “how nice it would be for Second Street to be more like First Street.”

During a June 14 public meeting, Snohomish grant writer Denise Johns said the mayor and council want to discourage motorists commuting through Second Street and encourage city residents to walk to Second Street and divert the Seattle and Everett cyclists from First Street to Second Streets instead.

The city’s plan makes absolutely no sense. It not only “throws motorists under the bus,” but local farmers, loggers and truckers who rely on Second Street as the only way to get through town. This foolish Snohomish city government is biting the hand that feeds them by harming the people who have jobs to go to, in favor of recreational cyclists who pay no road taxes.

Even the Seattle and Everett bicycle clubs aren’t in favor of Kartak’s and Hobbs’ scheme.

Gwen Parker

Snohomish