Almost 70 residents have signed a petition on Change.org to put proposed Sound Transit agreements to a public vote.

Mercer Island and Sound Transit are in discussions that, according to the petition, will significantly alter the flow of buses on the north end of the Island and have a significant impact on all Islanders.

“The public has not been informed of the ramifications of these changes, nor provided the necessary time to develop a full understanding of the changes that involve a complex mix of bus, train, parking, and development,” the petition states.

Petition supporters believe that a clear, comprehensive plan should be provided, and should include the ‘final’ details about the train, bus routes and downtown development.

“This plan should include details on commuter parking, bus traffic, site development and other elements that will be involved.  This plan should then be put to a vote of the people of Mercer Island,” it states.

The subject has also been discussed on NextDoor, with a post written by Deputy Mayor Dan Grausz.

One resident asked if Grausz viewed previous Council elections as providing an adequate read on Islander opinion, and if not, if the city would hold a special referendum or wait until after the upcoming Council election so that they can serve as a referendum.

“I have always believed that elections for public office are the best means for citizens to express their opinions on the issues,” Grausz wrote in response. “Given that we have five City Council positions on the ballot in a few months, I do not think a special referendum on a single issue would serve a purpose.”

In an email update to Islanders, Grausz wrote that the bus intercept “has obvious benefits to the region in terms of reducing transportation costs and air pollution, but will have impacts on Islanders that have not yet been quantified.”

Grausz encouraged Islanders to consider the issue from a regional perspective, and “wait and see what the details are in the Sound Transit and Metro proposal – which is exactly what your City Council is doing.”

“Let’s see what the impacts will be and what kind of mitigation we will require (such as commuter and Town Center parking for Islanders and other improvements that address existing mobility issues we face due to the lack of parking in the Town Center),” Grausz wrote.

Group leader for Save our Suburbs (SOS) Tom Acker said that “this issue should be on the November ballot … These issues should have been in the public forum 12 months ago. It is not an acceptable way to run a business or a city.”

Acker said that “it’s not realistic to anticipate the Island to commit to a bus intercept,” which may have an effect on traffic near I-90 and in the downtown area, when the Town Center stakeholder group hasn’t yet finished its work.

He said the city needs to take its time and gather more information before reaching a decision on the bus intercept proposal.

“It’s a part-time solution with permanent consequences for Island residents,” Acker told the Reporter. “Sound Transit’s lack of planning and the absence of data being provided to the public doesn’t constitute an emergency on the part of the Mercer Island City Council.”