Eisenhower Connector

[Bruce Dwyer]

Dear Mayor and City Council:

On behalf of the Alexandria Bicycle Committee, I urge you to appoint Michael
Merritt to the Eisenhower Connector Task Force.  The potential for a
connector and its location will have a significant impact on the city's
recreation facilities as well as our emerging transportation goal to
increase reliance on non-motorized transportation. These two aspects must be
given considerable weight in the study.  We believe Michael is uniquely
qualified to bring considerable knowledge to the table on these issues.  He
is a resident of Cameron Station.  He is an active recreation user of our
city's parks and multi-use paths as a bicyclist, jogger, and walker.  He
commutes by bicycle to Washington along the Holmes Run and Eisenhower Valley
Trails. If the weather is really bad, he commutes using the Van Dorn Metro
Station.  He has actively participated in the concept plan for the
Eisenhower Valley Greenway proposal developed by the Bike Committee for a
federal TEA21 grant.  He probably knows better than anybody how to get
around this area by non-motorized means now, and better still, he has given
serious thought on how to improve the use of non-motorized transportation in
the Eisenhower Valley corridor.  The Task Force would be well served with
Michael's participation.
Thank you for your consideration of our recommendation.

Bruce Dwyer
Alexandria Bicycle Committee
703-549-3263
ouibike at worldnet.att.net