Back on Jan. 6, 2017, the Mirror reported, “Federal Way outlines legislative priorities for 2017,” which had another $1 million to study the new I-5 on/off ramp “at South 324th Street.”

What? Seemed city leaders had decided to unilaterally change the location of the new “City Center Access Project” I-5 ramp, from the 2009 preferred location at South 312th Street (“Alternative One”), to the less effective South 324th Street (“Alternative Two”), and without additional public input.

In 2009, Washington State DOT engineers presented their estimated traffic flows for all “City Center Access Project” options to the city council, and also identified the I-5 on/off ramp at South 312th Street to be most effective at improving traffic flows in downtown Federal Way.

Unfortunately, after $2 million had previously been spent on the “City Center Access Project,” the Mirror reported on April 24, 2009, “Federal Way abandons City Center Access traffic relief proposal.”

But now, the Mirror just reported, “City invites public to comment at upcoming meeting.” A public meeting about the “City Center Access Project” is going to be held from 4-7:30 p.m. April 11 at the Federal Way Community Center.

South 324th Street would be Federal Way’s new I-5 off-ramp to nowhere. Another million dollars should not be spent, if it’s only for an I-5 off-ramp that dead-ends at Highway 99. The original preferred “Alternative One” option at South 312th Street, which would parallel 320th Street all the way to State Route 509, is still the best choice for our downtown traffic trouble.

Scott Chase, Federal Way