Council News Release

Council President Richard Conlin

CONLIN APPOINTED TO SOUND TRANSIT BOARD
Council President looks forward to the challenge of opening the light-rail line

SEATTLE – Council President Richard Conlin was appointed yesterday to the 18-member Board of Directors of Sound Transit, the three-county transit agency that operates commuter rail and express buses and is building a light-rail line. Council President Conlin said, “I am honored to be chosen for the assignment, and want to thank Executive Sims for selecting me and the County Council for confirming that appointment. I am committed to ensuring that the Seattle area implements light rail to Northgate and the Eastside as rapidly as feasible, and look forward to working with others around the region to make that happen.”

Council President Conlin has long been an advocate of light-rail technology in general and has supported Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail project from its inception. Council President Conlin said, “Light rail is an exciting technology that serves many cities in the United States and around the world. Link Light Rail is a vital investment for our regional transportation system.” Construction is well under way on this new 15.6-mile Link light-rail line that will open in 2009 in two stages. The 13.9-mile line from Seattle’s Westlake Station to Tukwila International Boulevard Station will open in summer 2009, with a 1.7 mile extension to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport opening by the end of that year. Council President Conlin said, “Like most Seattle residents, I can hardly wait until we can ride the entire system, from Northgate to SeaTac Airport—and beyond.”

Council President Conlin was the Transportation Chair of the Council from 2002 to 2005. During his tenure, he worked on Sound Transit issues, successfully moved the funding strategy for the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund and the commitment to underground electric wires adjacent to the MLK light rail line through the City Council. He also helped the Roosevelt Neighborhood to ensure that future light rail would go through the heart of their community in accordance with the Neighborhood Plan, rather than bypassing it. In his earlier role as Chair of the Neighborhoods Committee, Conlin led the work on developing and adopting Seattle’s Station Area Plans, the visions and land-use policies that will integrate residential and commercial development around light-rail stations with the Sound Transit line.

Conlin has also served on the SR 520 Executive Committee and as the Council’s representative on the SR 520 Mediation Panel, and led the Council in selecting transit connectivity as the key principle to guide design decisions on the SR 520 rebuild.

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City Council