January 2008

Editor's Note: This letter was sent to the head of the city, county and state departments of transportation with a copy to this

This is the second request that you include the attached document and make it available to all stakeholders. The document shows election results from the March 2007 election on the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and is broken out by The Seattle Times to illustrate geographically how the city voted in the March 2007 Election. The returns from that vote show that significant areas of Seattle actually voted in favor of a Viaduct Rebuild.

Repair the viaduct, or . . .

I am a professional engineer with 40 years of experience in public works implementation including transportation. As a principle of KCM I had an active role in the planning for the West Seattle Bridge. I have driven the viaduct to work downtown for more than 40 years.

I have followed the viaduct project for some time. In fact I was caught in the horrendous traffic snarl after the last earth quake. Just such a mess will occur daily if the viaduct is torn down before an expanded capacity is on-line. Any replacement "in-place" is unthinkable.

Neighborhood

Lauds ArtsWest

The ArtsWest playhouse should be complimented on their outstanding production of "The Retreat From Moscow."

Not only was it a great play, it was a real joy to sit through a two-plus hour performance with no filthy language. Thank you.

Kate Mitchell

Admiral

Metro plans 'RapidRide' for 2011

King County is betting it can get more West Seattleites to ride mass transit if buses arrive at the Junction every 10 minutes during rush hour, every 15 minutes the rest of the day, and every 30 minutes late at night.

Another attraction for riders could be a new tracking system to speed buses through intersections by extending the duration of green lights and shortening red lights.

Also being planned are well-lit, sheltered stations with electronic signs showing how many minutes people have to wait for the next bus to arrive.

These ideas are part of a new progr

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City considers more streetcars

City Council members are considering leveraging the success of the South Lake Union Streetcar to build trolleys across the city, including a line that would link West Seattle, downtown and Ballard.

Chair of the council's transportation committee Jan Drago said since initial ridership for the South Lake Union car has been promising, there's drive to build a citywide system.

"I am very pleased with all the energy and ideas that the streetcar network has generated," said Drago.

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Many oppose skateboards at Myrtle Reservoir Park

Seattle Public Utilities has been installing a lid atop the Myrtle Street Reservoir to protect the water supply, which opens up an opportunity for a new park atop the city's highest hill.

About 70 people met at the High Point Community Center last week to talk about what to include in the park and most of the discussion rolled through whether to include a skateboarding facility.

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How your legislators voted

Authorizing public works board projects. _By a vote of 97 to 0 the House of Representatives approved HB 2437, authorizing public works projects around the State. Of the 52 authorized projects: 10 are domestic water projects totalling $48.8 million; 34 are sanitary sewer projects totalling $187 million; six are road projects totalling $39.8 million; and two are solid waste projects totalling $2.4 million. The funding for these public works projects comes from the Public Works Assistance Account. HB 2437 is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Reps.

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