I live in the Lea Hill area. As some might remember a few months back, there was a strike at Boeing. When it came time for the membership of the union that was striking, the union choose to use Green River Community College for one of its locations for its membership to vote.

The result of this decision was a massive traffic jam with drivers running the stoplight at 124th and 312th, the main intersection on the hill and extending in a unbroken line (right through the intersection) all the way to the college.

The traffic also effectively blocked rapid access from our local fire station to these roads. The roads also travel through or near several neighborhoods where countless children are present. The dangers of this situation were obvious to anyone who lived in the area.

The problem of lack of traffic control was reported by me and others to Auburn police as well as Mayor Pete Lewis. Despite repeated requests that police be posted in the area to direct traffic, the city took no action. Excuses included the city was not informed of when the meetings were being held, and that it was too much of a danger for members of the police to direct traffic by standing in the road to do so.

If this is so, then why this (past) weekend did I see a huge amount of traffic coming out of the speedway up on Lea Hill, on a road where there are no fire stations, signal lights or even neighborhoods directed by no less than three uniformed Auburn police all standing in the middle of the road directing the traffic?

It would seem to me the City and Mayor Lewis need to be consistent in regards to traffic. I have no objection with anyone using GRCC for meetings, nor do I have any issue with the speedway holding events. I do believe, however, that these events can and do cause traffic problems, and it is the responsibility of the city to see, in all cases, such issues are addressed by on-site personnel, specifically police officers assigned to direct and control traffic.

– Bill Walker