Triathlon causes freeway hassle | Federal Way letters

Published 7:51 pm Thursday, July 15, 2010

Sunday morning, July 11, 2010, the City of Federal Way blockaded the intersection of South 321st and Peasley Canyon Road, trapping all westbound traffic between Highway 18 and S. 288th. In the past when I tried to access I-5 during the Triathlon, the blockade was at 320th and Military Road to allow for the event route along South 320th and Military Road north of 320th. Southbound Military Road was open to vehicle traffic to access I-5 through the North Lake area. This year, it was necessary to go down into the valley and come back up Highway 18 to get to I-5.

It is not necessary to cause inconvenience to thousands of Auburn and unincorporated King County residents for a few runners and/or bikers to pass through an intersection that is five-lanes wide. This is just one more demonstration of the Federal Way attitude and lack of consideration toward the “wrong side of the freeway.” It is little wonder the annexation vote was rejected again two years ago. All access to the freeway from this area should not be cut off.

Robert W. Zimmerman, Auburn