It's all about the Traffic!

If you live in our little corner of unincorporated Snohomish County, you may have experienced a power outtage yesterday.  According to SnoCo PUD, a car hit a pole at 2:30pm near Paradise Lake Road and Highway 522, taking out the power out to approximately 750 customers.  The power outtage generally affected customers along Bostian between the Park and Paradise Lake Road, but also extended to Crystal Lake and surrounding neighborhoods.  They said the pole had to be replaced to restore power - no possibility to backfill power from an alternate power line.  Sorry folks.


How many times have you heard about car vs pole accidents?  It seems our community goes through one or two of these accidents each year, often unrelated to road or weather conditions.  The problem with our roads is that they are narrow and have a couple wicked curves if you take them too quickly.  If traffic levels increase on Bostian and other neighborhood roads, these accidents will only increase.


I have no information about the car involved - I hope everyone got out safely.  The PUD got the power back up after about 6 hours, before serious consequences from the lack of electricity.  But we all lost a chunk of our day, and the power outtage took out important things we take for granted, particularly water for rural customers with wells.  This community doesn't have the infrastructure to support a big commercial complex and all the traffic that comes with it.


If you think that you won't be affected by the proposed sports complex because you don't live next to the Park, you should carefully consider the traffic that a big sports complex would bring.  The Parks department hopes to host games on the four turf fields all year round, and plans to have multiple games on each field.  The proposed sports complex has enough parking for 700 cars; a tournament would mean turning over this Costco-sized parking capacity several times each weekend day.  Participants, family and friends will get to the sports facility via every route possible, to avoid traffic slowdowns -- that means 522 to 240th, 195th to highway 9, and Bostian in both directions.  People who live near or use these roads will find "normal traffic" a thing of the past.


Please get involved.  This is just not the right place to put a commercial sports complex.  Donate to our legal fight to make the Parks Department listen to the Community.  Phone, email and write all the County Council Members and the new County Executive and tell them that this is a bad idea.