The gains far outweigh the negatives

I am a local business person, avid bicyclist, user of the Heritage Trail and member of the YMCA.
I have reviewed their current proposal to cross the Heritage Trail for a second route of access to the YMCA facilities in Monroe and support their request.
The current access to the YMCA facilities is inadequate and needs to be improved. As a frequent user of the trail, I do not want to see multiple crossings along it except as necessary.
The proposed crossing is in an area where I, as a bicyclist, slow down due to pedestrian traffic anyhow. Stopping for the crossing would not be an unnecessary burden unlike other more open parts.
There are other crossings of the trail between Monroe and Goshen that users successfully navigate; this one would be no different.
Any slight increase in hazard would be offset by the much safer access to the Y created.
There are always tradeoffs in a change like the proposed crossing but the gains in safer access and increasing the Y’s ability to expand and provide superior health choices to the Monroe community far outweigh the negatives.
Thomas Henkler
Freeway Insurance Services
T/A Parietti & McGuire
Monroe