Trumps the rights of local communities

Monday’s letter writer uses straw man arguments to defend I-985 (“Open HOV lanes just one good idea”). The initiative incorrectly defines peak hours as being from 6-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Anyone who spends much time on the road knows peak traffic lasts much longer. The initiative does not allow for flexibility.

Likewise, the writer states the initiative would prevent tolls being collected for anything other than the project they’re funding. That is already the status quo. That was the reason the toll booths came down on the Highway 520 floating bridge in 1979. The project was paid off.

There has been some discussion of financing a new 520 bridge by charging tolls on I-90 as well, but this is extremely problematic. As part of the interstate highway system, such would require federal approval.

I-985 does other stupid things like making it financially impossible for communities to use red light cameras to catch violators since all fines would have to go to the state. Sounds like big government trumping the rights of local communities? Is Tim Eyman angry about a ticket he received? Running red lights is a dangerous thing to do.

Mark Stocker