Feeling less and less welcome in my own city

First, the officials decide to close the efficient backdoor access to the Seattle Center, Queen Anne and Ballard via the viaduct. Any replacement will carry fewer cars and take years to complete. Then they eliminated arterial lanes, slowing traffic on the surface streets. Now, the mayor wants to raise the cost to park my car when I come to town. I am feeling less and less welcome in the city where I was born and still own property.

So take note, decision makers, I will not be riding my bike to dinner in Seattle nor will I be taking a bus home from the Seattle Repertory Theatre at 11 p.m., but I may very well be taking my entertainment and shopping dollars to Tacoma, Southcenter or Bellevue.

— Ann Caughey, Federal Way

Improve transit before kicking commuters out of cars

Mayor Mike McGinn is definitely putting the cart before the horse in wanting to raise parking rates around the city to the highest in the nation. He may want to “get cars off the streets,” but he has not yet made it any easier for people to move around the city. I leave my car behind enthusiastically, whenever it is possible, to get to my destination in a reasonable amount of time, and be able to get home safely and reasonably.

The metro buses do not provide efficient crosstown service to all areas of the city at this time. The buses are better on some routes than others, but this city needs a comprehensive transportation system in place before the city starts trying to force cars off the streets.

I believe Seattle and King County will adopt mass transit wholeheartedly, as soon as we have some. The promise of rapid transit in the future during this economic downturn doesn’t encourage me to want to pay up front, when this mayor is publicly backtracking, sidestepping and thwarting other transit plans that are already in motion (i.e., tunnel).

— Gwen Demombynes, Seattle