This November, voters in King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties have the opportunity to solve our transportation problems and improve our quality of life by voting for the Roads and Transit plan. This plan is especially important for my neighbors here in West Seattle since the improvements of the Spokane Street Viaduct are critical to our commute. I live in the Westwood neighborhood with my wife and two children. We commute by car, bus, and bike to our jobs downtown.

Roads and Transit will widen the Spokane Street Viaduct to improve safety and reduce congestion for buses and cars. The plan extends the transit-only lane and constructs a new off ramp for cars and buses at Fourth Avenue past the railroad tracks that will connect with the downtown Seattle bus tunnel. This new ramp will improve the speed and reliability of Metro bus service and give more options to West Seattle commuters.

New bike lanes would be constructed on the lower roadway under the viaduct, providing a much safer bike corridor between West Seattle and downtown. The Spokane Street/I-5 interchange would also be improved to reduce congestion and improve safety. A new overpass on Lander over the tracks will help West Seattle buses and commuters move east-west through the Sodo neighborhood.

Roads and Transit presents us with a critical opportunity to continue building our mass transit system by funding 50 miles of new light rail.

Fast, safe, reliable transit will transform the way our region grows, a critical step towards a cleaner environment. The first priority for expanded

Seattle rail must be getting to Northgate - studies show this segment will have the highest ridership of any new line in the country. But the plan also includes study money for a West Seattle rail line. This is important because it will position us for additional expansions of the system.

Light rail will get to West Seattle sooner if we start building the system now than if we wait for some future perfect plan.

Additionally, the Roads and Transit plan represents the largest investment in bike lanes at any one time in the last 20 years. Many of the improvements included in the plan make it easier and safer for pedestrians and bicyclists to commute. A key step in improving congestion issues in our region is to provide people with safe alternatives to driving - and this package does just that.

The Spokane Street Viaduct improvements, bike lanes and light rail are only part of the reason why I'm voting for this package. The plan also redefines how we invest in our highways by giving people transportation choices to leave their cars at home. And, by focusing on HOV lanes, safety and infrastructure, the roads side of the package serves as a good starting point to addressing some serious traffic issues in our region.

I'm looking forward to riding light rail and using the new bike lanes under the viaduct. I believe this plan will give West Seattle commuters more options as we face viaduct construction projects over the next 10 years. I hope that my neighbors will join me in voting Yes for this plan in November so that we can have safe roads and a strong light rail system in our region.

Chris Arkills

Westwood