City of Seattle Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor

NEWS ADVISORY
SUBJECT:   Streetcar and other Seattle Transportation Projects Win Regional Support
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    7/22/2004  4:00:00 PM	FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of the Mayor  (206) 684-4000

STREETCAR AND OTHER SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
WIN REGIONIAL SUPPORT
"This is progress on goal to get Seattle moving" says Mayor

SEATTLE- A unanimous vote today by the executive board of the Puget Sound Regional Council puts Seattle on track to receive $21 million for the South Lake Union streetcar and other transportation projects, Mayor Greg Nickels announced today.

"One of my priorities is to get Seattle moving, and this moves us forward on the streetcar and other projects that are key to building a 21st Century transportation network," said Mayor Greg Nickels. "Traffic is our number one headache and we need to show progress on transportation. Step by step, we are getting the job done."

Seattle's delegation of four representatives joined the unanimous vote.

"This vote demonstrates that the region recognizes the transportation challenges faced by Seattle," said Seattle Councilmember Richard McIver, president of the PSRC.

The PSRC executive board vote is a key step in getting federal dollars for a variety of Seattle projects. The recommendations will now go through the PSRC air-quality review and public comment process. A final vote is expected in October.

• $4. 3 million to add streetcar service from downtown Seattle to South Lake Union (SLU) to help handle the commuting needs of 23,000 new employees expected to be working there by 2020.
• $831,179 thousand to convert Westlake into a transportation hub in anticipation of monorail, streetcar and light rail service coming within the next five years;
• $6.6 million million to complete the Spokane Street Viaduct widening in preparation for the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement;
• $680,000 to extend the Burke Gillman Trail;
• $652,000 to enhance the Phinney/Fremont/N. 50th streets area;
• $2.2 million to for Arterial Asphalt and Concrete projects;
• $3.9 million to enhance 35th Avenue NE.

This list does not include other projects in Seattle where funding may go through King County, the State of Washington or other agencies.

For more information, visit the mayor's web site at www.seattle.gov/mayor. Get the mayor's inside view on initiatives to promote transportation, public safety, economic opportunity and healthy communities by signing up for The Nickels Newsletter at http://www.cityofseattle.net/mayor/newsletter_signup.htm.

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