Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor | Infrastructure overloaded
Thank you to Barbara Moss for raising questions about tax breaks for developers as well as about congestion at the Burnham/Borgen/Canterwood roundabout, which already often grossly exceeds reasonable capacity. I have even seen backups all the way up Borgen and out near Costco!
The issues with the proposed North Annex development, as well as the Trailside Apartments just past St. Anthony’s on Baker Way, bear on the existing traffic and safety infrastructure, which is clearly overloaded at rush hour, on weekends, and often during lunch hours and early evenings. As part of the process of luring new developments, the city needs to consider traffic, safety protocols, congestion and overall quality of life. Are we proceeding too quickly — without thorough research and resident feedback? How about offering public town halls?
Both new developments will be accessed from Canterwood Boulevard — the North Annex roughly 540 feet north of the roundabout. Imagine turning left onto Canterwood Boulevard that close to the roundabout during busy times of day! Similarly, access from the Trailside Apartments (which are under the county’s jurisdiction, not the city’s) is on Canterwood Boulevard at Baker Way, a few hundred yards up the hill from the hospital where motorists often quickly emerge into sight and fly by at 40 or 50 mph. The potential dangers are clearly evident.
We need to be ready to accommodate new developments safely, in a thoughtful, well-planned way that will enable the city to protect its residents and continue to offer an exceptional quality of life.
Ed LaFreniere
Gig Harbor
