Now more than ever, West Seattle needs the monorail.

While the city's urban village scheme may have helped improve our local business climate; provided better choices for restaurants, entertainment and shopping; and increased the housing supply, it has come at a high price to our mobility.

West Seattle's streets are clogged with traffic morning, noon and night as a result of the building boom in the Junction, along California Avenue and Alki - all throughout our community.

Getting in and out of West Seattle during the commute is especially frustrating. Just imagine the traffic backups when the Alaskan Way Viaduct comes down, either for its planned replacement or because of an earthquake.

Recent viaduct closures for testing and repairs are a harbinger of what's to come. The replacement work could take four to five years, maybe longer. The 110,000-plus cars that now use the viaduct every day will likely be re-routed onto city streets and I-5. The impacts on West Seattle will be devastating.

That's why a fast, safe and environmentally sensitive rapid-transit system like the monorail must remain part of the solution.

The Seattle Monorail Project is ready to go right now. The land for stations is purchased, the contract to build and operate it is in hand, new leadership with extensive transit management and construction expertise is in place and Proposition 1 gives the flexibility for a conservative finance plan, without new taxes. Roughly $6.5 billion was shaved from original cost estimates.

The current plan is for a 14-mile line constructed in a phased approach, beginning with a 10-mile line from Interbay through downtown to West Seattle, with plans for extending the line to Ballard and Crown Hill.

No one has a plan to serve this route with rapid transit any time in the future. If we don't pass the monorail measure Nov. 8, it may be several generations before we'll have another shot at introducing transit to this corridor.

It's not just West Seattle that will benefit from the monorail. The core system planned for the Green Line includes significant downtown capacity to transport thousands upon thousands of people back and forth between all of our professional sport stadiums and arenas, our arts and cultural centers, and Seattle Center.

The impact of traffic congestion extends beyond commuters to the economic vitality of our city. Without a more efficient and effective transportation system, freight mobility will continue to suffer. This will further hamper our ability to compete as a major port and national leader in exports.

Monorail will help businesses see improvements in productivity because of less commuting time for their employees.

Retail will see improved sales because of a new group of mobile city shoppers.

Developers will see increases in the value of property located near the Green Line stations. Every city that has built a transit system has seen these benefits. Monorail construction alone will create more than 1,000 high-paying jobs throughout our city.

I'm fully aware of the problems that have plagued the Seattle Monorail Project. As vice-chair of the Senate's Transportation Committee, I've learned how hard it is to undertake major projects like this. Sound Transit, for example - which also is building a 14-mile rail route through Seattle - had to shorten its initial line by one-third when cost estimates spiraled out of control. Sound Transit had over a year to devise a new financial plan, while the monorail was given a month. The monorail's new leadership team deserves more time to turn things around.

Let's not forget why Seattle voters have already approved the monorail four times at the polls. Our quality of life, the Puget Sound economy and the environment are all at stake. The monorail is not the only solution - buses, Sound Transit, trains, ferries, the water taxi and transportation alternatives like telecommuting also play a role but it is a key tool in battling traffic congestion and preparing for the viaduct's closure.

The price of monorail taxes is high, but the price of inaction is higher. I'm convinced that if Proposition 1 fails on Nov. 8 and the monorail is killed, we will look back at this the way we do all the other missed opportunities to build rapid transit - with regret. That's why as your senator and as a father, commuter and voter, I'm still a resounding YES on the monorail.

State Sen. Erik Poulsen, D-Seattle, represents West Seattle, Burien, and Vashon-Maury. He serves as chair of the Senate's Water, Energy and Environment Committee and was recently named Legislator of the Year by Washington Conservation Voters, the state's largest environmental organization.