At the April 5 council meeting, there were several public safety related issues spread over multiple agenda items. We had wonderful support from the community and I was impressed by the level at which the council was engaged in these important issues (and I'm not saying that just because I got my way, although it doesn't hurt).

However, based on some of the comments during and after the meeting, it became clear that some clarification would be a good thing.

The short-term item that is actually the most important from a public safety standpoint as well as the most confusing is the pedestrian underpass that goes under the SR-525 bridge near the ferry terminal to Lighthouse Park.

As you may know, almost a year ago, the expanded ferry holding area opened, nearly doubling the ferry holding area at the waterfront and thus the number of ferry commuters outside of their cars near the ferry dock intersection.

Prior to that, as mitigation for this change, the council imposed some conditions including a pedestrian walkway behind the ferry holding area (not to be confused with the pedestrian underpass which is different).

Unfortunately at the time, and when the project went before the hearing examiner, the pedestrian underpass idea which would allow pedestrians going to Lighthouse Park to avoid the already overly congested ferry dock intersection, wasn't understood by those who testified before the hearing examiner. Fortunately later, a slim majority of the council recognized the benefit of the pedestrian underpass and the council approved funding for the design/feasibility study.

At the last council meeting we learned the design is feasible and would cost a relatively small amount ($60K-$80K) considering its public safety benefit to the community.

To better explain the pedestrian underpass I'm going to attempt a virtual tour of where it would be located. If I fail to make it clear with my description, all is not lost as I will host a field trip to see the area in person at 5:30 p.m. Friday at starting at the Red Cup Café just off the Speedway and 4th Street in Old Town.

So here we go. Imagine you're walking from the community center to Lighthouse Park. You start on the corner of 3rd and Lincoln and walk down the sidewalk that takes you in front of Tin Fish.

You cross 2nd Street with SR-525 on your left and the bridge in front of you. You walk across the bridge on the narrow sidewalks on the right hand side. When you get to the other side and have crossed over the railroad tracks, stop. Directly in front of you is the crosswalk where ferry vehicles enter the holding area by crossing in front of you.

The ferry tollbooths are ahead and just to the right. If you were to continue straight ahead, you'd end up at the dreaded ferry dock intersection which you'd have to cross to gain access to Lighthouse Park.

Instead, before entering the crosswalk near the ferry tollbooths, make an immediate hard right and follow the narrow sidewalk against the fence next to the SR-525 bridge (but in the opposite direction).

Look through the fence and when you see the parking lot below at Lighthouse Park between the gap in the support structure under the bridge, that's the location of the proposed pedestrian underpass.

In the plan for Lighthouse Park Phase III is another access point to the park on the other side of the bridge. This is a point of much confusion. Both the pedestrian underpass as well as the Lighthouse Park Phase III steps from the other side of the bridge (west side) provide access to the same part of Lighthouse Park but from opposite sides of the bridge.

The stairs on the west side will serve pedestrians who find themselves park side of SR-525 while the pedestrian underpass will serve pedestrians who find themselves on the ferry holding area side of SR-525 (and would otherwise have to cross through the ferry dock intersection).

The two complement each other by providing access to Lighthouse Park from different sides of the bridge, although the pedestrian underpass has a much higher public safety benefit by allowing pedestrians to avoid the ferry dock intersection as well addressing the side that has the highest concentration of pedestrian traffic.

Needless to say, there's a lot more happening at our waterfront area that affects public access and safety. I've only touched on the pedestrian underpass because it's an important component that will have a profound positive benefit for anyone walking to Lighthouse Park including patrons of the farmers market, Lighthouse Festival, and Waterfront Wednesdays.

As I mentioned earlier, please join us at 5:30 p.m. Friday Red Cup Café  for a field trip and tour to see and hear about the many things that are happening this summer and fall near Mukilteo's waterfront.

The preceding feature is published the 2nd Wednesday of each month for The Beacon and is the opinion of Kevin Stoltz and may or may not represent the views of the Mukilteo City Council.