Seattle Press on Line - There From Here

There From Here

By Tara Peattie

Apr 25, 2002 -- Will You Believe Once We Build It, Doug?

Recently I went to hear State Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald speak at an event hosted by the Metropolitan Democrats' Council. Since I knew hardly a soul there and there people milling around like City Council President Peter Steinbrueck, as well as former Governors Mike Lowry and Booth Gardner, I figured I'd linger inconspicuously by the refreshments, stuffing cut fruit down my gullet until the proceedings began. As I looked around warily, Doug MacDonald strode up to me and asked, "What are you DOING here?" as if this was of great surprise to him. Amused at his familiarity since I don't know him, and resisting a rare opportunity to reveal my need to feel important by hanging around important people, I said "Well, I wanted to hear what you have to say about the Viaduct, and whether the gas tax can ever be used for anything other than roads or car ferries, like, uh, monorail, or something."

"You support monorail?" he said. I nodded. He looked at me as if I had just introduced Mickey Mouse as my invisible friend. "You should rethink that. Monorail is a ploy by the road lobby to kill any Seattle hope for transit."

I laughed.

"What about light rail?" he asked. "Why do you think monorail will be cheaper than light rail? The latest estimate is about 600 times the original estimate. They're building light rail all over the world. Where does monorail work?"

"Asia." I said.

"Where are you going to put monorail?"

"Elliott, Fifth?" I said. He laughed, disbelieving each of my arbitrary choices.

We bantered. I wanted to talk about monorail; he wanted to talk about light rail. When I assented and mentioned Sound Transit's light rail cost increases, he walked away without another word.

That's pretty thin soup being offered to Seattle from the state head of transpo. All unspoken politics, no substance. MacDonald gave a great talk later about the politics of road projects, the legislatures' gridlock on the state transportation package, government accountability and such. But guess what? With a mischievous grin, he asked that the whole thing be off-record as it would be "so much more fun that way," and no one was able to disagree... But did you know that 60,000 people a day check the traffic-cameras on WSDOT's Web site?

Burke Gilman Trail through Ballard--Studying Up for the Big Test

The City Strategic Planning Office's draft South Ballard Transportation Corridor Study came out at the end of March. The resulting list of potential actions largely addresses industrial traffic concerns for the Shilshole area, and cleans up a few key crossings such as the yawning, sometimes dangerous intersection of 17th, Leary and 24th. Now comes another study, solely of bike and pedestrian route options, before the City Council votes this summer on the routing to complete the Burke-Gilman Trail.

The last piece of the Burke Gilman Trail to be routed, the "missing link" stretch between 11th Avenue NW and the Chittenden Locks, has been at issue for years. Friends of the Burke Gilman Trail (FBGT), a vocal group composed largely of bicyclists and Ballard residents, wants the trail extended along 45th or 46th Street, Shilshole Avenue, and "not-54th Street," a city-owned rail right of way that is not officially a street. While the Ballard Terminal Railroad Company currently holds a 30-year lease on some of the land; FBGT contends that the land was originally deeded to the city for a public trail, and that there's room enough for railroad and trail users on the right of way. The other trail options further east are seen as a significant detour from the most natural way to get to the further trail leg reaching from the Locks to Golden Gardens. Besides, this is the all-important flatter, speedier route.

Several Ballard industrial concerns along the route--Salmon Bay Sand and Gravel, Ballard Oil, and the Ballard Terminal Railroad Company, have had objections to running a bike and pedestrian trail through this area.

Whether in tight times the city can muster funds for separate, dedicated trail space or only a white-stripe bike lane, Kevin Carrabine of FBGT says that the group's goal is to see the city assert the right to use public land for public, not only private, benefit. "That's not to say we don't respect these several businesses, and want to see them prosper. But it's almost become a battle of principle." Carrabine says that the several key businesses have framed the conflict as "spandex versus overalls", the frivolous recreational users versus honest workers. Most trail users, however, are commuting to work.

South Ballard is changing. The pace has slowed, but condos and offices are still in the chute for development. No one wants to see vital businesses--some of which have been around one hundred years--suffer; but the industrial area, blessed with waterfront and huge street margins squatted long enough to be considered property, will sooner or later need to accommodate. Developers know that a trail will be a tremendous boon, and a little city money when it's available to do the job right can easily bring a happy ending for all involved on this one.

Tara Peattie can be reached at peattie@drizzle.com.

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igundu	Aug 22, 2002	enugu	business
guy keep off i don bombam the addresses