The concern of West Wayne Street area residents about connecting that street with Hansen Avenue is understandable. Vehicle traffic would increase markedly in the Island neighborhood - a congested area with narrow streets and many young children.

But also understandable are some of the reasons why the proposed connector would be an asset, including lowering the traffic volume and improving the traffic flow on Pillow and West Cunningham streets, providing another route for easier access to the Main Street business district and places across Main Street, and, probably even more importantly, providing opportunities for quicker access to the Island by police and other emergency vehicles.

It's important that the connector issue be a major topic of discussion by neighborhood residents and city leaders, even though potential designs for the road project and other aspects of West End revitalization are a couple of years away.

If officials are serious about building the connector, the challenge is to find the road configuration that is least disruptive to Island residents' lives and the neighborhood.

One path to that end is officials' commitment to direct, open-minded involvement by residents. Meanwhile, residents should steer clear of the mind-set of derailing the connector just for the sake of derailing it, because it represents change.

Another route to and from their neighborhood would be of benefit to Island area residents, as well as to non-residents who would use the new route.

The key is to determine and then focus on the best alternative, adjusting it as needed - assuming that the connector will, in the end, be pursued.

The connector should not be the object of a last-minute, angry scramble involving threats of lawsuits or other opposing maneuvers.

It is encouraging that officials are promising additional public meetings on the topic. In addition, residents should not be left in the dark about new developments as they occur.

Councilman Jim Kraus took the lead last week in reminding other members of the city council that officials couldn't wait much longer in reaching a consensus as to whether the connector would be pursued.

". . .We have to decide what is right for the city," Kraus said. "We have to know what we do now and what resources we commit to this project are the way we should go."

In regard to that viewpoint, the city should should, on paper, weigh all of the plusses and minus regarding the proposed connector and provide those reasons to residents at the next public meeting - and then seek comment and discussion.

One of the criticisms has been that the city has tried to use different arguments to justify the need for the connector. In order to properly present its case to residents, the city must have all of its facts and reasons in order and be prepared to defend them.

The same holds true for residents also, and they shouldn't allow emotions to hinder a reasonable discussion.

The connector could be a great benefit to the city, but the project, if handled incorrectly from a planning and community-input standpoint, could turn into a time-consuming nightmare.