REPORTER
Mercer Island
Wednesday, 20,, 2014 2013 | 75¢ Wednesday,March July 16
Serving the Mercer Island Community Serving community Since since 1947 1947
Preschool Association is ‘Citizen of the Year’
Parade perfect
Planning Commission meets tonight The Planning Commission will reopen the open record public hearing on zoning amendments for the construction of a new elementary school, and substantial remodel of other existing schools in the district. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Council chambers at City Hall. For more information, visit www. mercergov.org and click on the agendas and minutes tab on the left hand side.
City Council selects organization for new playground, ongoing activism for children
Launch party for Jewish Historical Society’s new book The Washington State Jewish Historical Society’s latest enterprize is a 359-page full color book entitled “Distant Replay” featuring Jewish sports heroes. The event is from 7 until 9 p.m. at Island Crust Cafe at 7525 S.E. 24th St. Event is free. For more information visit www.wsjhs.org.
Construction alert: I-90 East Channel Bridge July 18 - 25 Beginning Friday, July 18, westbound I-90 near Mercer Island will be reduced to a single lane around the clock for seven days to replace two massive bridge expansion joints. Check www.mi-reporter.com or www.wsdot.org, for more.
Don’t miss YTN’s ‘Jungle Book’
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Pack up the kids for an early evening or even a matinee to see Youth Theatre Northwest’s jazzy production of “Jungle Book Kids” at their new interim home at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. The performances will be held in the church courtyard. For information see page 13.
By Reporter Staff
Matt Brashears / Special to the Reporter
The students of Mercer Island’s Early World Montessori School take carrying their custom-made sign very seriously as they march in the Summer Celebration! Grand Parade on Saturday morning, July 13. For more photos, see pages 6 and 7 in this issue, or visit www.mi-reporter.com.
Sound Transit meeting leaves many questions Islanders updated on station design not how busses, cars fit into mix By Mary L. Grady
editor@mi-reporter.com
Sound Transit held another open house last Thursday, July 10 at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center to show Islanders what the design for the light rail station in the center lanes of I-90 looks like so far. The first thing the casual observer might see is the addition of three tall “air handler” stacks on the roofs of the “head houses” at either end of the football fieldlength station. These were not shown in previous renderings. The
head houses are the points of entry where commuters descend into the center lanes to board the trains. The structures will not be heated or cooled, but instead will rely on air circulating through the stacks. In the renderings for the station, the stacks are painted red. After hearing some doubt about the color, Sound Transit officials said they could be painted grey instead. Despite the unseasonable warm temperatures that evening, the meeting was attended by about 70 Islanders along with dozens of Sound Transit officials, a handful of Washington State Department of Transportation officials and King County Metro bus planners. After an hour discussion on the design of the station and the process for the selection of art for the
stations, the discussion turned to access to the station - and how the station will be integrated into other transportation networks: the buses that will drop commuters off at the facility and how Islanders will travel to the station when local bus routes will be virtually eliminated by year’s end. Sound Transit has undertaken a broader transit integration study in partnership with the city and King County Metro to determine how bus service will operate alongside East Link. Because light rail will overlap with several existing routes, the hope is to look at bus routes and schedules to reduce travel times and congestion. The study reviewed several scenarios for funneling bus traffic, two of which included the construction of roundabouts. In one, a roundabout would be erected between Sunset Way and the I-90 EB off-ramp, along 77th Ave. S.E. Another
The Mercer Island Preschool Association, often referred to as the cradle of community activism for the Island, has been named the 2014 Citizen of the Year. The City Council has been recognizing the outstanding efforts of citizens since 1990. Honorees are individuals or entities who have improved Island life through a broad base of community service. Mayor Bruce Bassett spoke about the selection of the Mercer
Citizen | Page 2
transit | Page 4
New Primary Care Clinic on Mercer Island 8015 SE 28th Street #310 • Mercer Island 98040 Robert Goode, MD 206-898-2416 www.lakewapc.com
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