Tim Burgess' City View

More Detail on Looming Transit Cuts

The Council received another briefing this morning from King County Metro officials about potential service cuts if the State legislature doesn't take action and provide funding options for transit agencies. The impact of the cuts (a 17% loss of service) would be disastrous for Seattle and the greater region; the red lines on the map to the left are routes that would be potentially eliminated, reduced or revised. 

Transportation is the backbone of a robust economy and public transit is essential to that vitality. 

Seattle is the largest job center in the state. An estimated two-thirds of the City’s 200,000 daily commuters don’t drive; they rely on a quality transit network. The legislature’s failure thus far to fund Metro service is a direct blow to these commuters and will mean decreased service and increased gridlock for many of us who live and work in and around Seattle. The legislature’s inaction could also have a cascading effect through the system as bus routes are eliminated and riders compete for space on other already-crowded routes. 

Looming Transit Funding Shortfalls

The Council received a briefing this morning from King County Metro highlighting some of the funding challenges looming for our local transit network.

But first, some good news: funding transit is effective mitigation that keeps people moving through the major construction projects underway. For the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program construction period, the State contributed $32 million in transit mitigation. Since construction began, this corridor sees 25,000 fewer vehicles each day, but additional transit service has attracted 17,000 new riders.

San Diego Padres and the Northgate Parking Garage

I made a quick trip to San Diego on June 4 to see how they had successfully wrapped a residential neighborhood, the city's historic Gaslamp district, the nearby convention center and a working port and rail yard around Petco Park, the home of the Padres. It was impressive, to say the least.

I also saw something I hadn't expected that could help Sound Transit and Seattle smartly prepare for integrated mobility at the Northgate Link Light Rail Station. 

Sorting Through Roosevelt Station Area Rezone Conflicts

The City Council's committee handling the Roosevelt neighborhood rezone meets again tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. to consider and possibly vote on this package. The Council's decision will be important for the Roosevelt neighborhood but also carries implications for the entire city. It involves balancing different policy priorities, including respecting the needs and values of neighborhoods and managing the City’s strategy to concentrate density around transit centers in order to protect single family homes and reduce suburban sprawl. 

The Council’s decision is complicated by a few very important factors.

Keeping Downtown Neighborhoods Attractive and Strong

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a quiet little celebration that highlighted the new residents and new jobs that have sprung up and transformed the South Lake Union neighborhood. About a hundred neighborhood activists, representatives of the area's mega-developer Vulcan, business owners, urban planners, and others reflected on the ten-year conversion of a sleepy, somewhat run down area adjacent to downtown into a thriving, upbeat area with thousands of new residents and jobs.

Danny Westneat wrote about South Lake Union's success in last Sunday's Seattle Times, giving appropriate credit to former Mayor Greg Nickels for his vision and persistence in pushing forward the redevelopment of the area.  David Brewster posted an interesting historical perspective at Crosscut.com last Monday.  (Here's a link to the report that both Westneat and Brewster cite that summarizes what's happened in South Lake Union.)

Brewster, in his Crosscut piece, raises an interesting question about how the success of South Lake Union will impact the downtown core of Seattle.  Frankly, we would do well to accept Brewster's commentary as more of a challenge than a question. We dare not become complacent about our downtown, an area of multiple neighborhoods stretching from Lower Queen Anne to the International District and Pioneer Square and from South Lake Union to First Hill and the Central Waterfront.

An attractive and strong city center doesn't flourish on its own.  It takes determined work and a constant focus on things that matter, like the attractiveness of the pedestrian environment, crime and street disorder, quick and efficient transportation options, and strong businesses. (Continue after the jump for a list of key steps to maintaining an attractive and strong downtown . . .)

Metro Transit Horrors Coming

Metro Transit is getting ready for massive service cuts because of falling revenue from the sales tax. This is one of the negative ripples from the stagnant economy over the past three years.  Don't think it's going to be that bad?  Take a look at this map. It's so bad, I'll just post the map here as well.  (Scroll down to bottom for how you can prevent these service cuts from happening.)

You can learn all the terrible details at this Metro website, including this specific list of route cancellations and service reductions.

The King County Council is considering imposing an annual Vehicle License Fee of $20 in 2012 and 2013 to reduce the amount of service cuts.  Even with the $20 fee, Metro will be required to reduce some service levels, cut other expenses and tap their emergency reserves.  The King County Council has the option to impose the $20 fee themselves with a two-thirds majority vote or send it to the November ballot for voters to decide.  Sending it to the ballot only requires a simple majority of five votes. 

Let your King County Councilmembers know your opinion on this issue.  Here's a list of the members of the County Council.  Click to go to their webpage, then click there to send them an email message.  Tell them to directly impose the temporary, two-year $20 Vehicle License Fee themselves to avoid reductions in Metro service. 

Bob Ferguson, District 1

Larry Gossett, District 2

Kathy Lambert, District 3

Larry Phillips, District 4

Julia Patterson, District 5

Jane Hague, District 6

Pete von Reichbauer, District 7

Joe McDermott, District 8

Reagan Dunn, District 9

 

Lake Union Streetcar Use Soaring

This morning, the Council's Transportation Committee approved (3-0) and sent to the full Council an ordinance that accepts $65,000 from South Lake Union employers who want to "buy" more operating hours for the South Lake Union Streetcar during the afternoon/early evening commute. 

What was most surprising to me in this morning's briefing was the surge in ridership.  Average weekly ridership soared 43.6% to 2,471 this month compared to 1,720 in May 2010. Ridership averaged 1,404 per week in May 2009.  But there's more.  So far in 2010, the average number of riders per hour on the streetcar is 46.6.  The same measure of ridership on nearby trolley bus routes is 48 riders per hour. 

You can watch this morning's Transportation Committee meeting here. 

More Transit Funding Needed Really Fast

I sat through two briefings this week that strongly reinforced the urgent need for more local transit funding in Seattle-King County. While I'm writing about our local challenges in transit service, I know leaders in Snohomish and Pierce counties face some of the same issues.

Here's the bottom line: Metro transit service is going to be massively cut back over the next several years due to lack of funding. The equivalent of all weekend service or all service on the east side of Lake Washington could vanish. (See chart below.) These terrible reductions in transit service will happen when we actually need just the opposite.