Letters To The Editor

Improvements needed on Nine Mile Road

How many deaths and terrible accidents does it take?

I am referring to the dangerous situation on Nine Mile Road (re: Spokesman-Review, Feb. 13, picture of the Ford Fiesta.)

This fatality occurred just a block from Rifle Club Road, where I turn left to my home.

It is time for the city or county authorities to take responsibility for this dangerous stretch of road through residential areas where the speed limit is 50 miles an hour.

Entering onto or turning left from Nine Mile Road is hazardous in the very best conditions, and treacherous in snowy and icy situations.

The first step should be lowering the speed limit to 35, at least to north of Suncrest.

Secondly, there should be a traffic light and left-turn lane at Rifle Club Road.

And third, there should be a median along Nine Mile Road.

With growth comes management, which should encompass responsibility and coordination among developers and city and county agencies to secure funding for proper traffic control.

Too often, developers seem to get around the safety issues.

I am not against development, but safety should be a No. 1 priority. Anne L. French Spokane

Private parking nil at new restaurant

We have seen many articles in the paper about the proposed pharmacy to be located at Garland and Ash. Just six blocks away, a McDonald’s Express has opened without so much as a single article in the newspaper, as far as I can recall.

Most businesses are required to put in a landscaped parking lot for their potential customers. This McDonald’s Express has no private parking space.

It is interesting to note that for the first time in history there is now a parking limitation on Garland Avenue directly adjacent to this new McDonald’s Express.

I certainly hope that the other food establishments along Garland are able to survive this publicly funded subsidy of a national chain. If any of these businesses are not able to survive, I certainly hope they will call the public officials to task for making this exception. E.J. Hjortedal Spokane

Put Shadle library in former Penney’s

I just read the article about the new library that will be built in Shadle Park.

There are many vacancies in the Shadle Shopping Center that should be utilized.

The old J.C. Penney store would be ideal for the library. It has two levels and is a large building.

Let’s save our parks for what they were meant to be used for. Alice Johnson Spokane