To the editor:

There’s an elephant loose on the island and it’s wrecking havoc.

The elephant I see is the Sound to Olympic Trail. As we all know, elephants are not native to Bainbridge.

What’s the point? The city of Bainbridge Island has committed millions of dollars to a project that has not been professionally planned or priced or approved. It is rather like building a house from a sketch on a bar napkin. It is yet unknown how the STO will cross High School Road or the 305 let alone head further north with more tree cutting and more millions.

It is for each to decide the need for a regional trail.

My view, we need non-motorized safety improvements on Island roads that take our children to school, allow us to visit our neighbors, go shopping, etc. – and not provide a trail for a few hundred annual cyclists to cross the Island. Especially when taking Ferncliff and North Madison et al is a pretty pleasant way to experience the Island.

This is a choice between Island needs for non-motorized safety on public roads and a regional trail largely along a highway.

COBI is working on a non-motorized bond issue for non-motorized improvements. The draft list of improvements includes about $4 million of additional Island tax revenue for the Sound to Olympic Trail. And, this is not pay for a completed project and remember the trail has not been completely planned.

It feels COBI has lost sight of providing a safe and more secure use of the public roads by non-motorized residents with the funding and staffing a project that does neither.

Please let COBI and the council know if you support the exclusive use of Island funds on Island non-motorized projects improving public safety on roads we use every day.

Let’s allow regional governments to first plan, price and design the Sound to Olympic Trail and then we should talk.

KENT SCOTT

Bainbridge Island