I understand that a bill is being considered which would change one of the Kirkland-area Flex Pass lanes to a general lane – sad.

I am amazed that this is even being considered. Look at any I-5 section from Fife to Everett. It is painfully slow in rush hour even with seven or more lanes. You don’t need to look far to see that adding general lanes barely helps. A single carpool lane typically goes the same speed as the general lanes, so it removes the biggest incentive to carpool.

In Kirkland, the Flex Pass lanes go 60 mph in rush hour, and a single driver can use them, unlike other diamond lanes, without a carpool. Fee too high? Really? You don’t value your time at your hourly pay rate? OK, sit in traffic. From Fife to Everett, there is no choice but to sit.

In the Kirkland I-405 section, at least you have a choice.

You say your tax dollars paid for this? Wrong. Voluntary toll payers are paying. You save taxes every time someone else pays a toll. Pissed at $10 tolls? Why? That is more taxes you save, since those extra revenues paid by someone else replace taxes you would have paid for other roads.

I don’t know why folks want to change the lane so they can sit in traffic like I-5. Plus, with extra incentives to carpool, parking problems in Kirkland are helped because there will be fewer cars to park.

Tolling not only saves you taxes, but keeps parking fees low as well.

Doug Rough, Kirkland