I believe a court injunction should be filed against Sound Transit by the city of Mercer Island to stop all construction and exit/entrance ramp closures to Interstate 90 until a proper safety and mobility study is completed. In addition, the injunction should outline financial compensation for economic hardship on our island’s inhabitants, its employees, businesses and organizations.

Losing four access points to I-90 was not part of the original Sound Transit 2 plan, and we have been lied to and taken by Sound Transit while our City Council has done nothing to protect Mercer Island.

What are we going to do with four access points to I-90 being lost? What will Mercer Island do if a natural disaster occurs and we must evacuate, and what will this do to our school teachers, businesses and everyone who lives and commutes to work from this island, most notably during the seven-plus years of construction?

In addition, Sound Transit must fund:

1. Financial reimbursements for Mercer Island, our school teachers, local businesses, organizations and their employees to offset the hardship and financial burden during the seven-plus years of construction.

2. A proper helipad located on the Island for medical emergencies and evacuation.

3. Fully funded bus system for the entire Island.

4. Park and Ride dedicated to Mercer Island residents.

There are now billions available of our tax dollars for completing ST2 and building ST3. Many surrounding communities have been financially compensated heavily for the inconvenience and lack of mobility by Sound Transit in past years, and Mercer Island is giving up the most of all, our access to the only routes on and off of our Island.

It is time for our Mercer Island City Council to step up and protect us. If not, we should encourage a group like Vision Mercer Island or Save our Suburbs (SOS) to do so on the behalf of Mercer Island residents, its employees, businesses and organizations. We can fund their legal fees through donations.

If our city won’t do it, our people should. This is a matter of safety, vital access for an Island’s inhabitants and the region as a whole.

Elizabeth Buckley

Mercer Island