The City Council and Mayor in Seattle are deliberating and deciding the priorities for increased transportation funding this year, probably in the form of a city-wide ballot measure this fall, spurred on by the desire of the Mayor to find some funding for burying the Alaskan Way Viaduct in a tunnel on the waterfront.

Transit funding must rise as a top priority for this ballot measure. Any ballot measure in Seattle in 2006, must include a significant amount of funding dedicated to increased bus service and new transit hubs.

Basic transportation improvements remain important for Seattle. Lets not diminish the importance of sidewalks (for those areas that lack them), bike lanes and fixing the backlog of street repairs. Yet these priorities, which can also come from an increased allocation from general fund dollars, are basic quality of life issues, and are not specifically related to congestion relief and creating alternatives to car dependence with better transit.

Removing or burying the viaduct must be a top priority for the city. Yet, the funding for this project must also be part of a long-term plan in Seattle to create a vibrant downtown. A downtown of increased density, with a focus on new affordable housing and serving as Seattle’s primary transit hub.

State legislators from Seattle made a big mistake, by continuing to blindly support the state department of transportation’s position of only allowing a full replacement of the lanes for the viaduct. The result is Seattleites are being forced into a choice between a new elevated highway or a more expensive tunnel. This is no choice at all! Seattleites must be able to move forward with a plan that improves traffic flow, increases transit and creates a beautiful waterfront for future generations.

Urban Transit

Article in Seattle PI

Article in Real Change