Sound Transit Board
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD MEETING
Thursday September 27th, 2001[Notes by John Deeter]
Attending: Earling (chair), Enslow, Nickels, Crawford, Drewel, Gates, Hague, Hansen, Ladenburg, McIver, McKenna, MacDonald, Phelps, Schell, Sims, and Sullivan. Absent: Davis and White.
[These was extensive public comment at the beginning of meeting, fairly evenly divided between supporters and opponents of the proposed Central Link plan. However, I only took notes of the Board's discussion and votes on the proposed Central Link plan.]
Central Link Light Rail
§ Motion M2001-103 - Identifying the preferred initial segment
Nickels: moves adoption. Thanks staff. This is a real plan with real money. There are still people against the system, [and we] need true leadership to move forward. Good first step, but only a first step. Will build system to 45th St. and beyond. Have to to start today - every day delay costs money.
Schell: has three concerns: stopping at 154th St., how to serve Downtown, and how to go north. Monorail needs to be looked at. Introduces amendment on pink paper to get to 200th St. Earl: Federal MOS could be shorter than initial, target initial operating segment. Schell: need to tell our folks [in Congress?] that we're going to the Airport. Sims: there are still uncertainties with Airport plans. Sullivan: this is scope creep - how much will this cost? Where will the money come from? Earl: still uncertain. Ahmad Fazel: extension [to 200th St.] costs $350 to $400 million. Sullivan: is this South King [subarea] money? Hugh [??] (ST staff): yes, but SK has no financial capacity. Sullivan: what is SK's potential capacity? Hugh [??]: $250 to $400 might be available [under various scenarios], but these are not additive and won't hit upper range. McIver: raises other issues, [such as] distribution of capital funds and moving funds to South King. Moves to strike last phrase in item (3). Enslow: should encourage staff to find a way to get to Airport. Earl: should add Tukwila and warns against making Airport a goal. Ladenburg: supports amendment to amendment. Can't promise people something that can't be delivered. Crawford: thinks original [amendment] is OK. Gates: supports amendment to amendment, [and] supports going south.
McIver's amendment passes, 13-3, with Crawford, Hansen, and Schell voting "no".
Schell: withdraws support [from amended amendment]. But it passes, 13-3, with the same three voting "no".
Schell: introduces second amendment, to [study] making changes to Downtown service. Sullivan: how much would this analysis cost? Fazel: over $50 million. Sullivan: will add to costs of MOS, and diminish money to go north. Earl: might look at these options in the EIS to go north. Hague: be flexible on second [Downtown] tunnel. Drewel: we're being selective in who we're listening to. Should also [consider] COP and financial review as well as PRC. Sims: what will staff do if Board passes it? Earl: take it to DC as Board's intent. Some would ask, what are our options for flexibility. Sims: are we carrying [forward] several proposals or one? Schell: No, [only one]. Earling: will vote "no". MacDonald: this [amendment] calls into question Board's commitment to make joint operations work. It leaves too much up in the air. Enslow: how does this affect negotiations with King County on the DSTT? Earl: need to go ahead rapidly with KC negotiations. Ladenburg: doesn't want to muddy waters about CPS [terminus] with this amendment. Sends wrong signal to feds and citizens.
Schell's second amendment is defeated, 2-14, with McKenna and Schell voting "yes".
Nickels: proposes amendment to push for undergrounding [utilities] on MLK. Undergrounding will make MLK a more attractive street. Amendment passes 15-1, with Hansen voting "no".
[No further amendments, so discussion turns to main motion.]
McKenna: [current Link proposal] is a much better financial plan than the January one. [Now] concerned about South King subarea share - no additional capacity left. Spending too much per new rider. Could put more into bus, BRT, commuter rail. Already have a good transit system - high modal share - without [light] rail. Would spend $3 billion to increase transit ridership by 4 percent - there are other ways to increase transit ridership. What about phase 2? Only $400 million local [funds are available] - can't go very far north. Maybe could go 4 miles south. Can't get to U District or Northgate without a tax increase. What is the likelihood of getting [extra] money? Needs to know how to go north and south before approving plan.
Phelps: will support, but has concerns. Need to get partners together on Community Development Fund. Difficult to implement Delloitte & Touche recommendations. Concerned about South King allocation.
Sullivan: monentous time today. Greg Nickels and myself took time years ago to look at systems in other places - they also had these problems that [Link] has today. An enormous relief that we're starting today, although disappointed that we're going south rather than north. It was never envisioned that DSTT would remain a bus facility forever. "Congestion relief" was not promised in voter's pamphlet, but mobility and reliability [were]. [Link will] encourage people to get out of cars with another option.
Ladenburg: compares [Link with] Denver, which started with 5 miles [of rail and later] added two segments. Will vote "yes". Enslow: still troubled by [being] 3 to 4 years late. Should look at alternative modes. Concerned about going ahead with one segment without having a plan for the entire phase 1.
Schell: hoped to be able to vote "yes", but can't. About to ignore PRC, Downtown Chamber, both major papers [with passing this proposal]. Need to develop consensis. Extremely disappointed with a system that stops short of Airport, [and that proposal] won't look at better ways to serve Downtown.
Sims: development is finally coming to the Rainier Valley, has waited 30 years for it. McIver: will support measure. It will provide an alternative to auto. Taking the right step. It's [been] a long time coming.
Earling: we may actually start building something next summer - I'm ready to break ground today. Thanks public for its involvement, ST staff and Board.
Motion M2001-103 passes, 12-4, with Hague, Hansen, McKenna and Schell voting "no".
Gates: thanks Earling. [Applause.]
§ Motion M2001-104 - Directs Executive Director to evaluate Link routes between CPS and Northgate
Nickels: moves adoption of Motion M2001-104. It passes, 16-0.
[Meeting adjourned.]