Dear City of Seaside. You have a heart problem. Your arteries are clogged and you need a bypass.

I know this issue has come up in the past and the consensus was that if Seaside had a bypass that people may not stop to shop. Well… people are stopped for sure. In fact, they are dead stopped on 101 going both directions most days and certainly on weekends. They are able to pick up an order of Grizzly Tuna or a coffee from Human Bean or shop at Nike outlet that is how slow the traffic moves. There are more travelers on the road than in previous years and it is only going to get worse, not just here but everywhere.

The local businesses are the losers because local residents stay home to avoid the traffic and it is becoming increasingly difficult just to go to the grocery store.

Those vehicles that are waiting to move through Seaside are not going to veer off and lose their place in line and most are wondering if there has been an accident as there is no signage that tells them why traffic is congested. Travel time from Gearhart to Highway 26 Junction can take up to 45 minutes.

As a business owner, it has made it almost impossible for me to accommodate my customers with deliveries of wedding cakes from my shop in Cannon Beach traveling north and is affecting my bottom line. I now have been forced to redesign my business plan and re-evaluate my customer service.

The issue of a bypass around Seaside needs to be made a priority sooner rather than later.

Jae Young

Gearhart