Playing in Traffic Planning

Reading in the paper this morning about various coming "improvements" to I-405 (looks like some of them will be in place to show Lloyd new jams next time he visits) it occurred to me that the big highway back there has always been a concern and a routine topic for local conversations. Initially, as soon as it was a confirmed project in the early 50's, folks in the neighborhood wondered where it was going to go; whether they would have to move or not; what it would do to property values; etc. One alternative route pretty much followed 104th Ave. SE, now Park Ave. No. Mostly we just talked and worried about it. Once, however, we decided to DO something.

In those days 104th was a gravel road with all that goes with that - flying rocks; mud and puddles in the winter and dust in summer. We felt we had to pour used motor oil out front to control the dust and enrich Lake Washington. The County grader came through a couple times a year as our road maintenance and there was talk of much desired paving, but until the new highway alignment was set planners understandably didn't want to spend for current 104th improvements. They conducted some studies , though. One of them involved a rubber traffic counting hose across the street in front of the Nimtz place. We kids were in the garage there when the study crew set up the apparatus. Mr. Nimtz was working there , too, and having a beer. Or two. After the technicians left we kids went out and started jumping on the hose. We couldn't tell and didn't care if we were "counting" or not. We were just messing around. After awhile, apparently on the theory that more data was good data and a strong step in the direction of getting our street paved, Mr. Nimtz came out and gave us ball peen hammers. So, one kid on each side of the road, under Oan's dad's encouraging watchfulness, we enhanced the data collection process for traffic planners. You could say we "beat 'em daddy; four beats to the car!"

And that's how I, after putting Kennydale on the map with Clint Eastwood, collaborated with King county to get our street paved.