Letters

Convert road into trail for win-win

Regarding the July 7 article, “Road work near Darrington closing access to trails”: The Suiattle River Road 26 should be turned into trail usage. This is a waste of money and an unnecessary environmental impact to the Suiattle valley. We’ve repaired this road before and will have to do it again.

(Major flood damage on Road 26: Fourteen floods qualified as Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (EFRO) in 1974, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2003. Total of 39 damaged sites in seven of these floods.)

Along with maintenance cost and vehicle pollution, the elimination of this road and converting it into trail is a beautiful way to protect the Glacier Peak ecosystem. By closing this road you save money and expand endangered and threatened species habitat.

Do not repair road. Do convert into trail usage. Spend money to create a portal area and interpretive center.

Brent M. Young

Conway

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