U.S. Park Service proposal to improve safety along the southern stretch of George Washington Parkway as described in April 8 Gazette is the wrong solution and will make the Parkway less safe. The problem that causes accidents, besides speeding, is getting onto the Parkway with left hand turns. The “diet” solution creates a left turn lane to help get cars off the Parkway. When the problem is getting on the Parkway safely the Park Service proposes a solution to get off the Parkway. With only a single lane heading south during business times there could be a steady stream of cars making the left hand turn lane almost useless. It would be easier to turn left off the Parkway if there were two south bound lanes even without a left turn lane. Further I have been to the U.S. Park Service listening sessions and while they proposed many solutions to improve safety, this was never one publicly suggested. Therefore I ask all our neighbors to complain to the U.S. Park Service to relook this unsafe proposal and have another listening session to discuss better ways to improve safety.

Thomas Gerard

Mount Vernon