Let's move forward, not backward

By Larry Phillips

The fight over how to replace the viaduct seems to have caused a surge of conversation around the idea of regional transportation governance reform, an issue currently being considered by the Washington State Legislature. I urge citizens and leaders to consider governance reform with a cool head, and refrain from muddying the discussion with frustrations about individual transportation projects.

Our focus on moving forward with mobility options shouldn't be sidetracked by a fight over governance.

Some, including the Ballard News-Tribune in a recent editorial on this topic, have cited the viaduct debate as evidence that transportation governance reform is needed. Those same individuals talk about reforming governance by consolidating local transportation agencies. Yet, the fight about the viaduct was largely a disagreement between state and local agencies.

Can anyone cite a recent example of local agencies fighting with one another? Have you heard of any squabbles between Metro and Sound Transit or Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Investment District? In fact, those agencies coordinate very well and have good collaborative relationships with one another.

Governance reform can't make the governor, leaders in the legislature, the mayor, and the Seattle City Council all see eye to eye on complex transportation issues, and it wouldn't preclude any of those leaders from having a stake in the outcome of a mega-project like how to replace an important state highway located in an area with as much value and varied uses as Seattle's waterfront.

There's no doubt that the Central Puget Sound region has serious mobility problems, and that strong leadership and collaboration are necessary for our success in moving forward with mobility solutions. Making improvements to the regional transportation governance structure may strengthen the region's ability to move forward. But making radical changes to existing agencies such as Sound Transit could just as easily stunt our progress by sending us reeling backwards.

The primary reason we're in this traffic mess was inadequate investment in our infrastructure in the 1990s to keep up with demand and plan for future growth. The good news is that momentum is shifting and we're finally starting to move forward. Citizens invested in Sound Move in 1996, and those transportation projects - including light rail - will be largely built out by 2009. In recent years the state of Washington has significantly increased highway investments. Last year, King County voters chose to expand their bus service by 20 percent.

This year, Sound Transit and Regional Transportation Investment District are moving forward with plans for a major transit and roads improvement package that will go before voters in November. That plan is a 20-year investment that includes 40 miles of light rail extensions, expansion of the High Occupancy Vehicle network throughout King County, and many other mobility improvements. Each year of delay means substantial inflation in project costs and another year of losing ground to traffic congestion.

Working together to put the transit and roads package before voters in November and ensure its successful passage is the best strategy for improving mobility. We must not allow radical changes to our regional governance structure now to thwart that effort. That would be like tinkering under the hood of our car when it has run out of gas.

Larry Phillips represents Ballard on the King County Council. He is also a member of the Sound Transit Board. He can be reached at 296.1004 or larry.phillips@metrokc.gov