Bothell residents will receive general election ballots in the mail later this month. You’ll have many decisions to make, from who should be our country’s next president to many statewide initiatives and offices, as well as county and regional measures. On your ballot you’ll also see two Bothell measures:

• Advisory Proposition No. 1: Whether the sale, possession and discharge of consumer fireworks should be prohibited in Bothell. The Council wants to know whether the public favors a ban against “Safe and Sane” fireworks – those typically sold at booths as fundraisers. The City Council will consider results of the election in making a determination about whether to ban such fireworks.
• Proposition No. 1: Levy for Safe Streets and Sidewalks. The nine-year Safe Streets and Sidewalks maintenance levy will focus on street improvements which will improve access for emergency vehicles, increase clarity of lane markings, and improve pavement quality, as well as safe routes to schools. I’ll go into more detail on this measure below.

If voters approve the Safe Streets and Sidewalks measure, it would help address growing concerns about safety and mobility that we’ve heard from the community.

Bothell is among many Washington cities that have lost previously dedicated road funding. Voter-approved state-wide initiatives have cut revenue streams, requiring public approval to replace funding.

So we’re coming back to you to ask: Do you want us to restore currently suspended programs that patch and repair crumbling roads and sidewalks, address a growing backlog of maintenance, and protect other services? The levy would do that and more.

Safe Streets and Sidewalks targets priority projects throughout Bothell:

• Improving the condition of major streets
• Constructing sidewalks and crosswalks around schools
• Restoring suspended programs such as asphalt patching, and sidewalk repair and replacement
• Fully funding Street Operations (maintaining street signs, weeding and trimming vegetation near roads, etc.)
• Improving pavement marking, including striping

Without new investment, our roads and sidewalks will continue to fall into disrepair. Waiting to fund repairs and improvements to the City’s streets and sidewalks will cost more in the long term. Smaller fixes now save taxpayer dollars and help ensure our community’s safety and mobility for the future.

The Safe Streets and Sidewalks levy will not solve all the transportation needs in the City. But for less than $16/month for the median home, it will make a difference toward closing our funding gap, bringing you improved street maintenance such as paving, asphalt patching, sidewalk construction and repair, and more.

You can learn more at www.bothellwa.gov/safestreetssidewalkmeasure. Refer to the fall edition of the

Bothell Bridge for additional details. Consider the options, and remember to return your ballot before the Nov. 8 deadline.

Bob Jean is the interim city manager for the City of Bothell.