Jerry Robinson's comment in the October 3 Times/News resonated with me. Jerry said, "I have been less than happy by all the traffic facing us each day and wonder if we will see growth slow down so we figure out how to cope with bumper-to-bumper driving. I would sure never enjoy the highway problems of Bellevue or Renton."

Well said, Jerry! And now is the time to act.

The proposed extension of SR 509, to connect it to I-5 in Des Moines, would grant Highline residents little or no benefit in return for chronically nasty traffic. Yet local leaders are still supporting it!

The newsletter mailed this week by the Washington State Department of Transportation cites as a benefit of the project, "Less congestion on I-5, and faster travel times for all drivers". Of course, this is simply not true for current travelers on SR 509. Our travel times would undoubtedly increase if this project is completed.

One of WSDOT's stated reasons for the project is, "Reduce traffic on SR 516/SR 167 as drivers switch to SR 509 from I-5." Is this what we really want?

We citizens of Burien and surrounding communities have already borne our share. The third runway was forced upon us despite promises to the contrary. We have far more than our share of low income housing, yet apparently not enough to satisfy the King County Executive. And now, we are being asked to give up our wonderfully uncongested commute to allow SR 509 to become another gridlocked freeway.

"Progress," when realized to the detriment of a whole community, is not progress at all.

I for one will not be supporting this project at the polls. I ask our local leaders to drop their support for the SR 509 extension, and vocally oppose any further degradation of our way of life.

Ken Giesbers

Gregory Heights