I am writing to your paper about your article on the Spokane Street Viaduct (Feb. 15, 2006).

I wish to remind you that I've read in the past few years of a shortage of 10,000 slots at the University of Washington.

I ask how many of the 110,000 vehicles traveling the Alaskan Way Viaduct are destined for the U of W? For that matter, how many vehicles on Interstate 5 are destined for the UW?

I've read in the P-I about the failure of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning in south Seattle high schools.

Can't we put together the fact there are no four-year colleges in the city south of the County Courthouse while there are four four-year universities to the north, i.e. Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, University of Washington and their Bothell annex. Also none in the south county.

Let's remember on the 1992 and 1995 elections removing the Kingdome, King County voted "no" to its removal.

My reason for voting "no" was I wanted a University of Washington extension first and then the stadium anywhere.

Are we not now again in a similar situation as 1992 and 1995?

Let's imagine if you will, added to your article, a University of Washington annex maybe at Fourth Avenue South and South Holgate Street.

The annex could accommodate University of Washington traffic from Interstate 90 East - Mercer Island, etc. The annex could accommodate light rail from under Beacon Hill which then travels north under Third Avenue, on north to the University District.

From the south - Interstate 5, State Route 99 and State Route 509 - the annex could accommodate University of Washington traffic from these routes servicing not only south Seattle, but south King County, Interstate 5 corridor.

Not only could the annex accommodate light rail, but could accommodate Amtrak, Sounder from north and south rails.

Let's throw in the cross-Sound ferryboats.(

In case the monorail is revived, it can travel north on Fourth Avenue piggybacked on light rail, stopping at the second or third floor of the new University of Washington annex. Then piggybacking on into town.

Theodore L. Hansen

Genesee Hill