I wish to express my appreciation for your insightful endorsement of Proposition 1, the Roads and Transit ballot proposal.

If this proposal fails, there is no Plan B. The opponents to the measure have no alternative, and with a projected one million more people expected to live in the region by the year 2025, we jeopardize our economy and our quality of life by not addressing the traffic problem today.

We've spent 40 years debating transportation in this region. It's time to stop talking and start building.

As for the cost - yes, voters are being asked to pay for these improvements. But congestion is costing each of us hundreds of dollars every year in wasted time and fuel. The longer we wait, the more expensive it will get.

Thanks to the Highline Times for acknowledging the significant benefits in the plan to the Highline area.

Julia Patterson

King County Council