Permanent closure of Cherry Street

Option 1 of the North Shore Levee Project design includes permanent closure of Cherry Street near the Aberdeen PUD at Fry Creek.

Other options? They weren’t on display at the recent Fry Creek design review event held at Dennis Nichols building. I asked, “Is that because they don’t exist?” I was confused by the answer and left thinking they don’t exist.

The design engineers call such street closures “daylighting;” i.e., culverts and roadways dug up and signs saying road closed — daylighting defined.

Nothing I’ve found in the written material, including the 58-page Timberworks master plan, mentions the permanent closure of Cherry Street — in words. Only a close look last Thursday at the current Option 1 map shows that permanent closure is part of the design.

Why would any one care? I certainly do (living in Hoquiam not Aberdeen as reported by The Daily World in its story on the meeting) and gave an ear full of comments to Kris Koski the Aberdeen City Engineer and others. Cherry Street is my tsunami escape route to higher ground. It’s how I get to the hospital. It’s how I bypass totally clogged holiday traffic such as the day after the 4th of July. And too, often a bypass of what’s becoming “normal” tourist traffic back and forth to Ocean Shores, etc.

Now is our window of opportunity to provide input to design planners. I’m thinking I’m not the only one that cares about Cherry Street being closed?

From a public handout: “You can contact the project team at: northshoreleveeteam@kpff.com” or Kris Koski at: kkoski@aberdeenwa.gov”

Rayl Barker

Hoquiam