an insult

Embarking westbound over the West Seattle Bridge, traffic congestion slows the journey and provides an up-close, rolling view of the neglect and grossly negative image that the city's landscape maintenance department provides along Fauntleroy Way.

Seeing the "Welcome to West Seattle Chamber of Commerce" sign barely visible, shrouded in high grass and weeds is terrible. Seeing the "Walking on Logs" sculptures privately manicured and maintained is in start contrast to the high grass and overgrown weeds that choke the entire Fauntleroy roadway entrance to West Seattle. Not only is it unsightly, it could also be a community fire hazard.

Arriving at the 35th and Fauntleroy intersection, more visual evidence of how Seattle's landscape maintenance department ignores overgrown grass and roadside curb weeds, some actually sprouting onto the roadway and distracting from the first impression of our beautiful West Seattle neighborhood.

With increase population projected, the construction of many new West Seattle condominiums and new mixed-use retail centers at the Junction, the city should prioritize, rather than ignore, and schedule to maintain the roadside landscape, especially along Fauntleroy Way, in both directions.

It is an embarrassment to see, day after day, the progressive and unsightly overgrowth of weeds and high grass and the City's neglect that West Seattle homeowners and taxpayers put up with. Just think, our mayor resides in West Seattle but goes the other direction, up Admiral Way.

Mike and Linda Corbell

West Seattle