It seems secrecy is more important than common sense, or maybe a lack thereof, in the new Bellevue High School plan. This plan, it seems, has had limited visibility and opportunity for participation. This approach seems to be in sync with the current national style. Local, adjacent neighborhoods have had very limited visibility and no participation.

Ted Cox, a Bellevue High science teacher and member of the steering committee, stated that only people who lived in the immediate area before it was built some 60 years ago have a legitimate concern, because they didn’t know it was coming. My wife and I moved into Surrey Downs 50 years ago as it was being built, and Bellevue and BHS were definitely smaller.

Regardless of who moved where and when, Bellevue Way has ALWAYS been the main north-south street through Bellevue.

Wolverine Way has always been the primary entrance and exit to the high school, and conveniently feeds into the stop light controlled four-lane Bellevue Way. Although BHS is not located in the Bellevue Downtown Sub-Area it is and always has been a part of the downtown core.

Comparing the Bellevue Way thoroughfare with 108th Ave. S.E. shows the lack of common sense applied to the thinking to move the parking and access to 108th Ave. S.E. The city has recognized 108th Ave. S.E. as a limited use road, has restricted continued use of it at Main Street while coming south from the city center.

The city has also installed speed bumps on it south of Main Street past the high school and beyond. Added to this, across the street from the high school are several residential communities. School busses pick-up and deliver grade school kids to their waiting parents on 108th S.E.

I hope our high school kids are being taught more common sense then what is being displayed by the adults involved in the development of this plan.

Dick Applestone, Bellevue