Rough ride for buses: Better ‘manhole’ covers needed

I am a senior citizen who frequently rides public transit. I am appalled at the state of the right-hand lane of Highway 99, which is the lane used by the buses.

The problem is not the inevitable potholes, which can be repaired. The primary cause are the access covers [formally called manholes]. These make the ride uncomfortable and rattle the buses and make conversation difficult. The noise also means there is wear and tear of the buses. This leads to an increase to operating and maintenance expenses for all vehicles, especially the buses.

Washington has been paving and repaving roads for hundreds of years. It seems that by now the building and maintaining of roads could have solved the access cover issue. The solution could then be added to road building/maintaining project specifications.

Whether the bumps and rattles are caused by the lack of project specifications, the lack of enforcement of the contract terms, or the various utility services disregard for the state of the road can be determined and dealt with.

Resolving this issue would have multiple benefits:

Saving maintenance costs of vehicles, especially public transit;

Proving a more comfortable and quieter ride for vehicles, especially public transit; and

Encouraging more drivers to use the right-hand lane for turns and slower traffic.

Gary McCaig

Lynnwood