Airing marathon safety concerns

We have recently learned by word of mouth and NOT by public notification that a marathon race is to be held on 10/19/13. The course of this race is intended to be the road around Hayden Lake, a very narrow and winding roadway which provides access to the residents around the lake.

The Lakes Highway District has already given provisional approval for the encroachment to the road that this event would require, however, at the district's regular meeting on 9/23/13 a large number of residents provided testimony of extreme opposition to this event. Some of the reasons for this opposition:

* In the initial planning stages of this event, there was absolutely no public notification and thereby no opportunity for discussion, a clear instance of a private entity attempting to seize a public roadway for their own personal interests and bypassing public input.

* This event would require blocking off a 4-foot section of the roadway, making it completely impossible for vehicles to pass in opposing directions. The inconvenience to the residents needing to use this road is incalculable. In addition to the race participants, there will likely be a myriad of spectators as well as support personnel in attendance.

* There has been a complete lack of consideration for safety: for vehicles, for participants, and for support personnel. How could any reasonable person consider a very narrow road, 4 feet of which has been usurped, and with no shoulder, to be even remotely safe? And what about emergency vehicles? On a good day, response times for firefighters can be 30 minutes or more. Significantly extending this response time could conceivably be a matter of life or death.

* This region has several recreational trails that have been built at significant expense to taxpayers. These trails have been built expressly for the purpose of running, hiking and bicycling. They include the Centennial Trail and the Hiawatha Trail, not to mention the trail that parallels U.S. 95. This proposed marathon would be considerably safer and infinitely less disruptive if one of these trails was used.

To our way of thinking, it is extremely presumptuous and incredibly selfish for the organizers of this event to impose on us as they are planning to do.

The commissioners of the Lakes Highway District have scheduled a time at their next regular meeting (Oct. 7, 2013) to reconsider their initial approval of this ill-conceived marathon. Hopefully, a sufficient number of residents will contact the commissioners to express their opposition.

The commissioners are:

Rod Twete, chairman

Monty Montgomery

Dan Malcolm

They can be contacted through:

Lakes Highway District

11341 N. Ramsey Road

Hayden, ID 83835

208-772-7527

Dr. and Mrs. Lee P. Coppess are Hayden residents.