City Departments
Seattle City Council
6/20/2005 2:46:00 PM
Barbara Clemens (206) 684-8801
Newell Aldrich (206) 684-8803
COUNCIL’S MONORAIL COMMITTEE SET TO REVIEW FINAL PROPOSAL
Are SMP’s financial resources adequate to complete construction and first 5 years of operations?
SEATTLE –Today, the Seattle Monorail Project (SMP) is expected to announce the completion of negotiations and contract review with the Cascadia Monorail Company, LLC and the Seattle City Council’s Monorail Committee of the Whole sets itself for the process of reviewing the final proposal.
The Council’s role in the Monorail Project entails regulating land use and determining whether to issue construction permits for the Monorail’s Green Line. The Council reserved this authority when it approved the Transit Way Agreement allowing SMP to use city streets.
In the Council’s June 2004 Resolution 30693, factors the Council will consider as they make their decisions were set down. The Council has also hired a consultant to conduct an independent review of SMP’s proposed construction and operating costs.
Council President Jan Drago and Councilmember Nick Licata, co-chairs of the Council’s Monorail Committee of the Whole, will oversee the review process within a 30-day time frame before approving the project and giving the go-ahead, as set down in the resolution.
“Though our schedule for public review has not yet been determined,” said Jan Drago, “we will have a thorough and fair process going forward.” She added, “The Council has set down strong guideposts to direct us and we will be ready to move ahead when we’ve received the final full package.”
“I’m primarily concerned with the question of whether SMP’s financial resources are adequate to complete construction and the first 5 years of operations, said Councilmember Nick Licata, “and I’m certain the process we use to determine that will be thorough.”
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