TOMORROW: Show your support for West Seattle light rail

In case you’ve missed our multitude of mentions since the Sound Transit 3 “draft plan” was announced one month ago (WSB coverage here) – tomorrow (Tuesday, April 26th) is the one and only Sound Transit public meeting planned in West Seattle before ST comes up with its final plan to send to regional voters in November. A West Seattle light-rail line is in the plan – for 2033. Yes, that’s a long time. But it could be longer, as there is some clamor elsewhere in the city to move it back and move other parts of the draft plan forward. But – it also could be sooner. Whatever you think about it, the more people show up for tomorrow’s 5:30 pm meeting at West Seattle High School, the more of a show of support there is. The latest voice exhorting you to be there is that of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, which just sent this:

Do you want less traffic on the West Seattle Bridge?

If so…come to this meeting on April 26th.

We need Light Rail and we need our voices heard.

IF YOU COME…THEY WILL BUILD IT!

Show up and make a HUGE difference.

Tuesday, April 26th at 5:30 pm at West Seattle High School.

The more people who show up for this meeting, the louder our voice is.

The louder our voice is, the more likely we are to get what we need: LIGHT RAIL TO WEST SEATTLE!!!

Just showing up is half the battle.

It’s no substitute for a big showing, but ST is also asking you to fill out the survey you’ll find online at soundtransit3.org. Tomorrow’s meeting, by the way, also includes a presentation about Metro’s Long-Range Plan – that and the ST presentation are at 6 pm, following a half-hour of “open house.” It’s not just a light-rail-yay-or-nay situation, by the way – if you would like to advocate for aspects of the plan, including tunneling or no tunneling, where the West Seattle stations should be, etc., this is the place. See you there.

carol April 25, 2016 (11:55 am)

I participated in a survey this weekend about transit in the region and, of course, listed West Seattle as highest priority. Wonder if anyone else participated. The person did a great job getting our names right: Tukwila! Issaquah! Puyallup!

Chris W. April 25, 2016 (12:23 pm)

5:30? It’s hard to commute to an early evening meeting like that when you work til 5pm in SODO, downtown, or SLU, as many of us do.

WSB April 25, 2016 (12:30 pm)

Meetings in general are inconvenient, but unfortunately, that’s still the legacy system that’s in place – might be helpful feedback for ST. Anyway, the presentations aren’t until 6, so you won’t be missing much but, I’d imagine, easel stations, for the first half-hour. – TR

Sunuva April 25, 2016 (12:29 pm)

I hope I can make it to the meeting, but if not, I at least did fill out the survey. Seventeen more years for light rail to West Seattle is unacceptable. I strongly feel that ST3 will NOT pass if these timelines are not improved drastically. It is also very disappointing that the line will only go as far as the Alaska junction. West Seattle is a large area and would have the potential for so much higher ridership if the lines were extended through Morgan Junction and down to White Center. With the current plans, my neighborhood will not be served by reasonable transit in my working lifetime. :(

old timer April 25, 2016 (2:57 pm)

Yes, light rail by all means. And in 17 years, most of West Seattle will be able to get a bus to the West Seattle light rail stops to ride a train to Sodo where they will maybe change to another N or S bound train?

And for the 17 years until this blessed event occurs, we have…….

WSB April 25, 2016 (3:13 pm)

Or we’ll finally have flying cars like George Jetson to get us to the stations. But seriously … come advocate for a faster timetable, then, if you can spare the time! And the Metro Long-Range Plan also certainly would want the voice of “we’ll need better service to get to those light-rail stations.” – TR

plf April 25, 2016 (4:38 pm)

Hmm you assume everyone is in favor? I can’t afford the price tag with my proptery taxes and I will be dead before it ever gets here

Vote NO

wetone April 25, 2016 (4:51 pm)

I’ll show my support of ST3 plan by voting no. Everything about this ST3 stinks, especially the time frame and cost. Sound Transit lost my trust with their past projects for same reasons. Seattle government has shown little concern towards people that need to commute in this town. Allowing new building to run wild with little improvement to transportation and infrastructure. Until city starts making improvements on these issues I will continue voting NO. This city and Sound Transit aren’t capable of knowing needed requirements 15yrs into future………..

Pridge Wessea April 25, 2016 (5:34 pm)

Gotta love someone who says they’re voting no on a project to improve transportation and infrastructure because the city isn’t improving transportation and infrastructure.

Gideon April 25, 2016 (5:48 pm)

What happened with the transit coalition and their survey of 1000 people? What were the full results?

candrewb April 25, 2016 (6:34 pm)

Its going to fail with these timelines…

metrognome April 25, 2016 (7:26 pm)

for those of you who wonder why these projects will take so long, Mike Lindblom wrote an excellent article on this very topic in last week’s Seattle Times; basically, it has to do with limitations on how quickly funds can be collected, which is complicated by existing bonds, and political and technical processes needed to identify potential destinations, alternative routes and methodology (tunnel vs. elevated,) etc. Well worth reading.

If you feel the current public transportation infrastructure is inadequate, you can head-slap anyone who voted against the transportation improvements proposed in the Forward Thrust initiatives in the late 60’s and early 70’s. At the time, construction of the interstate freeway system was in full swing and the major portions of the Alaskan Way Viaduct had only recently been completed — in other words, cars ruled. Maybe if our civic leaders had had better crystal balls …

trevor April 25, 2016 (9:20 pm)

We just need a water taxi every 10 minutes. What is the difference?

Paul April 25, 2016 (9:32 pm)

I’m an everyday transit user who would LOVE to see a light rail option to alleviate the bus crowds and the roads. However, I will be voting against this plan unless the timelines are cut in half or better. By 2033, there is a strong chance that driverless cars will have revolutionized transit in this country and a rail system like this will be outdated. You simply cannot make this a 20+ year plan. 20 years ago we barely had the internet and cell phones were not very common. Imagine where we’ll be in 20 more years.

Jon Wright April 26, 2016 (8:59 am)

And the people who voted against Forward Thrust probably had some wild visions about future conveyances that were going to make a subway obsolete, too.

Ruth paulson April 25, 2016 (9:41 pm)

Except it won’t reduce traffic on the bridge. That’s not how it works, ever.

It will enable and support more growth and development in West Seattle.

Unfortunately that usually brings more traffic…

BlairJ April 26, 2016 (12:27 pm)

Effective transit systems do not reduce vehicle traffic. They provide a means to move people past the traffic.

Carolyn April 26, 2016 (7:39 pm)

I worked downtown on the block between Pike and Pine and 3rd and 4th when the tunnel was being dug for underground buses. They did it with all the streets in tact with an occasional small hole that was on the corners. There was very little disruption to traffic. They should go underground in WS. Similar to the Bart stations in San Francisco. W.S. should be a priority. Also,, just look at the above ground light rail that follows along Martin Luther King Way and Broadway. While I totally agree that it is needed, car traffic will still be on the streets. So, please go underground. Do not delay. The metro 2000 growth plan designated WS as a growth community and should have included transportation fix before growing WS. So get it fixed as a priority. Include parking for it too, or it will ruin neighborhoods worse than ever.

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