Residents in unincorporated King County are being asked to help the Roads Services Division prioritize construction and maintenance needs in the coming years.

Starting May 8, the county will host seven meetings or informational events to ask residents: "If you had  $100 to improve county roads, how would you spend it?"

"We’ve set up an interactive process for those who participate," said Linda Dougherty, manager of the Road Services Division. "We really want to know what people’s priorities are. We will be asking: ‘What is the most effective balance between safety, congestion relief, and maintenance of existing roadways?’"

Dougherty said maintaining and improving King County's roads is increasingly challenging because:

• Traffic congestion has reached critical proportions in many areas;
• Roads and bridges are aging and need substantial maintenance or replacement;
• Older infrastructure, such as traffic signals or bridges, may not meet today's standards or take advantage of new technology now available;
• Many communities need safety improvements such as sidewalks; and
• Road projects may cost more and take longer to complete than in the past because of commitments to protect the environment and respond to neighborhood concerns.

That is why the county is developing new guidelines to help shape future spending decisions. The Road Services Division is holding the upcoming meetings and taking input via the Internet to produce a Draft Roads Strategic Plan by Fall 2002. During 2003, the final Roads Strategic Plan will be used to create an updated list of the most important roadway needs.

The workshops and meetings will be held:

• Wednesday, May 8 – Workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Evergreen High School, 830 SW 116th, Seattle;
• Saturday, May 11 – Information table from 10 a.m. to noon, Duvall Safeway, 14020 Main Street NE, Duvall;
• Tuesday, May 14 – Workshop from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Mount Si Senior Center, 411 Main Avenue South, North Bend;
• Thursday, May 16 – Workshop from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Auburn Senior High School, North Cafeteria, 800 Fourth Street NE, Auburn;
• Saturday, May 18 – Information table from 10 a.m. to noon, Kingsgate Library, 12315 NE 143rd, Kirkland;
• Saturday, May 18 – Information table from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Fairwood Library, 17009 140th SE, Renton; and
• Monday, May 20 – Information table from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Chataqua Elementary School, 9309 SW Cemetery Road, Vashon (in conjunction with the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council meeting).