I have serious concerns regarding the proposed development between Lake Street and Main, Permit No. DRV13-00192, across Main from Merrill Gardens.

The proposal is for all traffic to and from the new development to use Main street. My mother lives at Merrill Gardens and I go there several times a week and have ample opportunity to see the traffic concerns that already exist.

I recently observed The Merrill Garden van at the curb loading seniors with walkers and wheel chairs, the US Mail truck delivering to Merrill Garden, and three cars in line waiting to pick up or drop off seniors. Cars trying to enter Main from Kirkland Avenue blocked the cars trying to exit onto Kirkland Avenue. It was gridlock. When cars are parked on both sides of Main two cars cannot pass and it becomes one-way traffic.

Add to the example above the frequent presence of Fire Department Aid cars, moving vans, delivery vans, and ambulances, and you get the visual picture of daily traffic on this one block of Main Street. Now add senior citizens with their walkers and canes trying to cross the street to go the library, the marina, the farmer’s market, etc.

I strongly urge the city of Kirkland to reevaluate the proposed development. It is entirely unacceptable to knowingly create a traffic nightmare that put citizen safety at risk. This is an already very crowded street with exits from public parking areas onto Main plus the continuous traffic coming from Kirkland Avenue.

Merrill Gardens has been applauded publicly for being a valued asset to the city of Kirkland. The city needs to assure that they are treated as such.

Victoria Foreman, Kirkland