In response to the "'Calming' Alki sidewalk plan," (April 16), I'm writing as someone who drives, walks, jogs, bicycles, and hopes to someday push a baby stroller around Alki.

Currently, bicyclists conflict with joggers, walkers, baby strollers, and parked cars throughout Alki Ave/Beach Drive, forcing many bicyclists into conflict with cars. As one of the best places in Seattle, you can expect more "droves of bicyclists," so I'm suggesting we make accommodations since recreational and transportation demand will only increase with higher gas prices.

For traffic flow and safety's sake, we need to separate users, so instead of planning a redundant sidewalk, let's put in a crosswalk for pedestrians and extend the Alki bike path past the lighthouse. The designated bike path on Beach Drive is dotted with parked cars all the way to Lincoln Park, and it appears to me we could separate bicycles and car traffic simply by concentrating parking to one side of the street.

Further north on Alki Ave, joggers should have their own path in the useless strip of grass next to the seawall - away from car exhaust. And pedestrians could have a wider sidewalk so parents with strollers can walk two-abreast and avoid out-of-control skaters/skateboarders/cyclists in the bike path. For summertime cruisers, let's accommodate parking demand by planning a parking garage.

Still further north at Luna Park Viewpoint, where Alki Avenue meets Harbor Avenue and attracts tourists from around the world, let's uncork this bottleneck of parked cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists who weave around each other and parking meters - which I'm sure have knocked down a cyclist or two. There's room for a bike path instead of parking, and parking could be accommodated just a short walk away at the usually empty boat trailer lot.

Again, this is one of Seattle's best places - let's get this right.

Steve Richmond

Puget Ridge