C1
ee.
>>> Good morning, the February
15, 2022 meeting of the Seattle
transportation and public
utilities committee will come
to order.
Aim Alex Peterson the chair of
the committee.
Will the clerk please call the
roll?
>> Here.
>> Morales?
Rear.
>> Council member.
>> Strauss present.
>> Peterson present.
>> Four present.
s.
>>> Thank you.
Approval of the agenda if there
is no objection, today's
proposed agenda will be
adopted.
Hearing no objection, the
agenda is adopted.
Chair's report.
Welcome back to the
transportation Seattle public
utilities committee.
Today we'll meet a couple of
appointees for the transit and
bicycle advisory boards and
vote on the extension of the
fee favors for street cafe
permits.
I'm very excited most of our
time is going to be devoted to
representatives from sound
transit who are here to present
the draft environmental impact
statement for the west Seattle
and Ballard link extensions.
They have a very extensive
power opponent presentation
that will take a substantial
amount of time today.
So let's go ahead and jump into
public comments.
At this time, we will open the
remote general public comment
period for the transportation
and Seattle public utilities
committee.
I ask that everyone portfolios
be patient as we operate this
online system.
We are continuously looking for
ways to fine tune this process
of participation.
It remains the strong to have
comment regularly included on
meeting agenda.
However the city council
reserves the rights to modify
these public kept periods at
any point if we deem the system
is being abused or is in
unsuitable for allowing our
meetings to be conducted
efficiently and in a manner in
which we are able to conduct
our necessary business.
I will moderate in the
following manner.
It will be up to 20 minutes.
Each speaker will be given two
minutes to speak.
I'll call on two at a time in
the order in which they are
registered on the website.
If you have not yet registered
to opinion but would like to
sign up by going to the
website.
>>> Public comment link is also
listed on today's agenda a.
Once I call a speaker's name,
staff will unmute the
appropriate microphone and an
automatic prompt of you have
been unmuted will be the
speaker's cue that it is their
turn to speak and the speaker
must press star 6 to begin
speaking star 6. Please begin
speaking by stating your name
and the item you are addressing
as a reminder public meant
should relate on an item on
today's agenda or to our
committee's oversight agenda.
Speakers should hear a chime.
Once you hear the chime we ask
you begin to wrap-up a public
spent.
Peakers do not the speaker's
microphone will be muted to
allow us to call on the next
speaker.
Once you have completed your
public comment, we ask that you
please disconnect from the line
and if you plan to continue
following this meeting, please
do so via the Seattle channel
or the listing options listed
on the agenda.
>>> All right folks, the
regular public comment period
for this meeting is now open.
And we will begin with the
first speaker on the riss.
Please remember to press star 6
before speaking.
We are going to hear first from
Robin Briggs then Joe Riley.
Go ahead Robin.
>> Good morning council
members.
My name is Robin Briggs and I
wanted to talk about the second
downtown link tunnel.
I'm all in favor I think it
will make a tremendous
improvement some helping people
get around.
But I'm concerned about how
deep the tum is going to be.
Just getting down to the
station is going it take a long
time and no one is going to
want to get off because what if
the escalators or elevators
aren't working?
What if there is an emergency?
How will people get out?
I snow a shaller tum will cause
30 more disruption but this
rail line will likely be in use
for 100 years.
We can tolerate some short-term
disruption instead of accepting
an adequate end result.
It ill with be better for
everyone in the long-term,
including the local property
owners.
A shaller tunnel will also be
much cheaper which could allow
for future connections to
Aurora and south park.
And he simpler possibly
avoiding the problems that
plagued the last tunnel when a
relatively small error was
almost to derail the whole
project.
Our infrastructure needs to be
reliable and robust and I'm
afraid this would be neither.
Let's build for the long-term.
Please ask sound transit to
build a cut and cover solution.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you.
Next we have Joe Riley followed
by Gordon.
Go ahead Joe.
>> Good afternoon, council.
My name is Joe Riley, policy
director at Seattle Subway.
We have read hundreds of the
pages with community groups and
Seattle Subway has some key
recommendations today.
74% of Seattleites polled
already want to approve a sound
transit board and half of
Seattle are unserved by SD 3.
So expansion is inevitable.
As such we ask council to
protect major climate Justice
income and equity goes by
councilman dating construction
of cost saving expansion
futures if the future equity
rail corridors.
Fails to quip the any do you
want tunnel with relatively
expansion features, physically
big enough station platforms
and built in off ramps to
protect the tum from year long
shutdowns.
Seattle city council must fight
for Seattle interests by
requesting new features to
priority equity rail corridors.
Including forth Seattle's
Aurora 99 corridor, south park
and south king county and king
county metro 8 in central ALTI.
>>> Second the city must
prioritize advance work on the
citywide rail plan as soon as
possible in order to codify the
equity expansion corridors
identified above.
Third, city council put firmly
reject all deep four tunnel
station option dollars, some
designs exceeding 18 on feet
deep in favor of shallow tunnel
designs.
Sound transit inaccurately
predicts times to reach the
station platform from the
street, risking a faster travel
time for riders to walk or bus
instead of using these light
rail stations.
As well, elderly and riders
should never be expected to
climb a stairwell the height of
an underground 18 story
building in an emergency
situation.
Importantly sound transit never
studied small low options and
avoided the pitfalls.
.
>>> Thank you very much.
Next up we have Gordon and
followed by David Haynes.
>> Good morning, I'm the
executive director of Seattle
neighborhood Greenways and I
want to talk to you today about
the cafe streets program.
It has been a wildly successful
program, popular and used by
276 small businesses so far.
It has been good for public
health, good for the shawl
businesses and workers, and
just God for the quality of
life in our neighborhoods.
Council member Strauss has
proposed to extend the program
I think it is really wise.
No need to rush into something
permanent.
We can look around for
cautionary tales of rushing too
quickly to try and create a
permanent program and both of
those cities added too much
cost and red tape and now the
programs are sort of going up
in flames.
So let's take the time to get
this right and make sure it
works for businesses across the
city.
What works in Queen Anne may
not work in south park and we
need to figure out how to make
this program work for small
business districts across the
city.
And lastly, this is going to be
a positive thing to.
Can out of the pandemic.
Been a challenging time and it
can be an important permanent
program.
So, thanks.
>> Thank you, Gordon.
>>> Next, we have David Haynes,
followed by Alexander HSN.
Go ahead David.
>> Thank you, David Haynes
district 7. Before sound
transit impresses us with their
inflated dollar amounts and
sophisticated cost cutting that
makes them rich with cheap, low
quality rattling, uneach and
loud annoying ugly deep New
York City tunnel copy cat
projects from west Seattle to
Ballard, how about simply
offering a train on the
waterfront that goes directly
to golden gardens with stops at
ex pedia, interplay and a
number 44 bus waiting at golden
gardens like it used to before
metro Sabotaged most bus routes
it make it seem we need
billions for outmoded trains as
if Seattle always has to copy
elsewhere.
Thank you.
>>> Thank you.
One moment.
>> Hi, I just wanted to ask the
Seattle council to really or
dopily consider prioritizing
the long-term efficacy of this
new train we are looking to put
in over the short-term profit
motives of interested parties.
Now I oftentimes this type of
bureaucratic red tape and just
you know, slowing of the
process is what kind of kills
the overall capability of these
really important projects.
Now this train system that we
are you know looking to across
Seattle is one of the most you
know ambitious projects in
America right new is also one
of the most important as the
train as the trains are simply
the superior way of
transportation and is necessary
for us to reach a certain level
of climate mitigation.
Trains can be incredibly
essential and I hope the
Seattle council doesn't game p
this expansion in west Seattle
for, you know, some simple
business interests.
Or for a slight inconvenience
to homeowners in the very short-
term.
You know, I really hope that we
really do prioritize the long-
term benefit of this project
over any sort of short-term
neglect.
So thank you.
>> Thank you.
That concludes our list of
speakers who are present.
I'll confirm that with our IT
team.
IT, do you see anybody else
present?
>> There are no other public
comment registrants waiting to
speak.
>> Thank you very much.
>>> Okay.
So we will go ahead and close
our public comment period.
Thank you, everybody who did
sign up to speak.
I do want to welcome council
member Sawant who joined during
public comment.
So welcome.
And we can move onto the first
legislative item.
Will the clerk please read the
title of the first agenda item
into the record?
>> Agenda item 1. Appointment
2097.
Appointment of Douglas anything
den as member Seattle bicycle
advisory board for a term
August 31, 2023 for briefing
and discussion.
>> Great and we have our
candidate here, Dr. mig den and
Simon from SDOT.
Thank you for joining us.
Many people spending their
Tuesday morning listening
probably know that the Seattle
bicycle advisory board was
created 45 years ago in 1977 by
resolution 25534.
This particular advisory board
was updated 30 years later in
2007 with resolution 30995,
which give the council more
authority over the appointment,
similar to council's authority
for other transportation
advisory boards, where we split
appointment with the mayor's
office and still approve those
submitted by the mayor.
Resolution 30995 also said
advisory board members shall be
representatives of different
geographic locations throughout
the city, and Dr. Douglas mig
den is from district 7, which
is important as we currently do
not have any representation on
the bike board for that
district and yet many of our
investments are downtown.
I do have part of Dr. mig den's
resume here.
He is a long distance cyclist,
commutes around the city by
bike, which is a shawl amount
of the training he completes
for and I want to confirm this,
5000-kilometer transcontinental
bike races that he has been
riding since 2010.
He is an active community
member on a variety of topics
and projects.
Happy that he was able to join
us today.
We'll have him introduce
himself and Simon from SDOT,
thank you for joining us, too.
Simon, do you want to give a
quick overview of anything
here?
I don't council member, no,
staff liaison through the
bicycle advisory board.
Here to Rex pend the
appointment of Doug midken
through a two wore term until
August 20623.
I can hand it over to Doug to
introduce himself.
>> Dr. mig den you are still on
mute and off camera.
If you can join us, that would
be great.
>> Sorry.
>> Welcome.
>> The host has disabled my
camera.
>> We can hear you if you want
to tell us why you want to join
the bike board.
>> I can, hold on a second.
He just.
>> You can see me now.
Hi, thanks for having me today.
And I appreciate the
opportunity to serve on the
advisory board.
Yes, I have done these long
races, 4000 kilometers across
Europe, including eastern
Europe and one that was 500
across Australia.
They are unparted, you are just
you and your bike.
They are not some high faluting
fancy thing with a bunch of
support.
Anyway, I spent a lot of years
commuting to work in downtown
Seattle, all hours of the day
and night.
I am on the bike a lot.
But I'm particularly interested
in keeping city streets and
making more city streets safe
for everybody, including kids.
One particular issue I'm
interested in, is it seems like
a kid on a bicycle in Seattle
is a bit of an endangered
species.
Early in the pandemic we saw
more kids on bicycles, since
there was for traffic.
I realized that what is
practical might be limited but
it would be nice to make more
streets safe for kids and
families and safer for
everybody.
So I have some different
perspective, perhaps and have
seen things from a few
different points of view.
And hopefully, I can help the
advisory board and the city at
large.
>> Thank you, Dr. mig den.
Committee members, any
questions for Dr. mig den or me
or Simon at SDOT?
Council member Strauss?
>> Thank you.
I might be reaching out to each
of you.
I'm going to be abstaining
today but that is not a
reflection of anyone's
credentials or desires.
I really appreciate you coming
forward, Dr. mig den, I'll
follow-up off line with all of
you with any questions I have.
Dr.mig den, hearing you do
unsupported races, that is a
very big difference between
supported rites rides.
Having done unsupported races
myself by kayak, not bike, I
can tell you that resonates
deeply with me.
Keep up the great work, excited
to have you on board.
>> Thank you very much.
>>> Thank you.
And just to clarify, these
appointments are actually going
straight to full council for
the introduction referral
calendar.
The appointment packets are
here today as informational,
because our admit tee was moved
to Tuesday morning before full
council, so kind of put out out
of sync with the order.
We have them Wheir packets
online and they'll go straight
to council for a vote next
Tuesday afternoon.
Any other questions?
Council members committee
members?
Okay.
Well thank you, Dr. mig den.
God to see you.
Thank you, Simon, for your work
on this, we'll go ahead and you
don't need to show up on the at
the full council meeting next
Tuesday afternoon thank you for
being here for the committee,
though.
And we'll go ahead and move
onto the next item on our
agenda, which is also related
to SDOT.
Will the clerk please read the
title of the next agenda item
into the record?
>> Agenda item 2. Appointment
2098.
Appointment of Sander bar bar
as Seattle transit advisory
board for briefing and
discussion I don't thank you.
Welcome and thank you Nico from
SDOT for joining us.
And as I understand it, he was
born and raised in Seattle with
a lengthy history of navigating
Seattle's transit system.
Already engage in helping to
improve access to transit for
underserved communities,
including volunteering with the
Woodland park zoo to improve
accessibility option for his
communities without other means
to visit.
He showed a strong interest of
the broader systems leading to
inequity within Seattle and a
clear sense of how the transit
advisory board could be an
agent for change and progress
in this regard.
He also spoke to how our
Seattle transportation benefit
district specifically can play
a role in that effort,
demonstrate and go
understanding for the need for
service investments and fair
reduction programs.
I hope I covered a lot of that,
but welcome both of you.
Nico, did you want to talk
about the transit board before
we turn it over?
>> Thank you, council
punishment yes, just by way of
quick background.
First of all, I am the program
manager for the Seattle transit
measure at SDOT.
Filling in as substitute for
the transit advisory liaison
this morning.
The transit advisory board was
created by the city council
back in 2018, one of the newer
advisory boards after passage
of the 2014 Seattle benefit
district proposition 1. 2 has
two main charges, first
advising the city and your
partners on transit, and second
providing oversight of funds
collected and spent under our
voter approved measure.
The bored is PADD V up of 12
members, six mayoral
appointees, five council
appointees and one get engage
member.
We have him here today we are
recommending him for an
appointment to the board for a
term expiring in August of
2023.
>> Welcome.
Tell us a little bit about
yourself and your interest in
the transit advisory board.
I don't thanks council member
and thanks for the
introduction.
It is great to meet you all
this morning.
I live currently in the Queen
Anne neighborhood but I spent
most of my life growing up in
north Northeast Seattle in the
Northgate maple leaf area.
And had just a very interesting
experience growing up with
public transportation.
Grew up on the 73 bus route for
those of you who are familiar
with it in Northeast Seattle,
and spent most of my childhood
commuting all around the city
by bus, with my family.
It actually led to me getting
involved civilly in the
Woodland park zoo, as was
mentioned earlier.
And rolling for them when I was
in high school.
Still a pretty active volunteer
in that space on both their
events and their social service
side with community members at
the mid example high school
level about how we get
underserved and underprivileged
Seattle public school students
to and from the zoo and for
various outreach programs.
Which for those of you who know
the location of the zoo it is
for the exactly the best
location for transit access
sometimes.
So I ended up writing my
actually entry essay to college
about public transportation in
Seattle which was a very
interesting period in my life
and got to go to UCLA and do a
thesis on transportation and
access challenges for the wider
community.
Funny enough, I'm now sort of
on the corporate side.
I work 30 Boeing here and prior
to the pandemic was a pretty
avid reverse commute tore
Everett, which is a funny
commute for anybody who wants
to try it.
Now a little bit easier with
the lit rail.
But when this opportunity came
up and I got in touch with the
folks at SDOT, just such an
exiting opportunity forgive
back a little bit to the
community about the buses that
I know and love and that many
of my colleagues and friends
and people that I serve at the
zoo and other communities
really rely on to be reliable
and safe, particularly with all
the development that is going
in, in some of our urban
development areas.
There is just such an
overwhelming question for new
arrivals if they should have a
car or not in the city.
And part of my goal in serving
on the board is to try to make
transit the number one choice
that they have versus having to
feel that they have to rely on
a car to get around, especially
as a new transplant to the city
from wherever they are coming
from.
So just really looking forward
to being of service to the
community and happy to be here
this morning, council member.
>> Thank you very much.
Committee members, any
questions?
Council member Morales?
>> Thank you.
I don't have any questions for
these gentlemen.
I do want to say thank you to
Mr. About bar and Dr. mig den
for your interest.
I think we have, all have a
deep appreciation for the
people who put their names
forward to serve on these
boards and commissions.
Because all of these serve
really valuable purpose for us
as council members.
You know, commission members,
bored members are provide
advocacy, provide research and
are some of the loudest voices
for equity in the city.
So I want to thank both
gentlemen for putting your
names forward.
I was a human rights
commissioner myself and I know
how much work is involved.
And I know you do it for free
because you love the city.
I do want to say you know,
these commissions and boards
have processes for how they
make appointment.
They review applications, do
interviews.
And so it is, it can be
frustrating when the folks that
they have chosen, through
community process are not
selected.
And I understand that there is
you know, why folks might feel
demoralized when that happens.
So I just think it is important
for us to remember that all of
our boards and commissions
advise us they are all
constituents with professional
experience, with lived
experience, that is really
important to us as council
members, and is really an asset
to bring.
And I just think that the
process itself deserves our
respect.
So with that, I look forward to
finding ways that we can all
work together to lift up these
boards and commissions, pay
attention to their
recommendations and their
voices at council and look
forward to working with all of
you.
Thanks very much.
>> Thank you, council member
Morales.
Any other comments or
questions?
Council member Strauss?
>> Just to say bell come,
excited to have you on the
board from buses to planes it
sounds like you know how to get
people around.
And I too was a frequent rider
of the 73, 72, 91, 65, 75, 48.
I mean you calling out those
bus numbers really brought me
back.
Thanks.
>> Thanks, yeah I'll definitely
connect with you anytime about
stories getting home in the
snow on those buses when we
have had our snowstorms over
the years.
Great to be here.
Thanks for that.
>>> Thank you.
All right.
Well if there are no more
comments or questions, thank
you.
And as I mentioned, both
appointments going straight to
full council Fedex Tuesday,
February 22.
Appreciate your willingness to
serve.
There will be additional
openings that are roll.
There are always openings on
these boards and commission and
you can apply online at the
website or through the
individual boards that you are
interested in.
Thank you for being here.
And.
>>> We'll move onto the next
item.
Will the clerk please read the
title of the next agenda item
in the record?
>> Agenda item 3. Council bill
120256.
An ordinance relating to street
and sidewalk use.
Amending ordinance 126474 and
the street use permit fee
schedule authorized by 1504 on
74 of the Seattle municipal
cold code and amending section
2 and 3 of 126339 for briefing,
discussion and possible vote.
>>> Thank you.
And council member Strauss is
the sponsor of this bill.
So I would like to provide him
with an it up to make some
introductory remarks.
Just a reminder.
We did have a formal prep
tation last week.
They are here again to take any
outstanding questions before we
take a vote today on this
proposed extension of the free
permits for street Kavanaugh
phase.
Council member Strauss, why
don't you go ahead and led this
off?
I don't thank you, chair.
I am very glad to be back
before the committee speaking
about this.
We had it in the committee just
a couple of Wesco ago.
And we have had this bill
before us previously.
Where we have provided this
extension to get to may 2022.
The extension before us today
takes us out to January of
2023.
This is the time that we are
going to take and SDOT is
working feverishly around the
clock to get the policies right
sized for our cities so we can
have outdoor dining permanently
in the city of Seattle and that
the policies are best fit for
both customers, business owners
and the general public.
And being able to do this
balance in the right way does
take some time.
So that is why I'm excited to
be back before you today,
requesting another extension of
the free permits so we are able
to get these policies right
sized.
Thank you, chair.
>> Thank you, council member
Strauss.
And again, we do have SDOT and
central staff here.
I don't know if you have
anything to add.
We did have a thorough
presentation last time and we
should be ready to vote this
out of committee today.
I guess I'll wait to see if any
other committee members have
any other comments or
questions.
I'm not seeing it but council
member Strauss, please.
>> Yeah, I'll add on to that a
little bit.
I was going to see if anyone
else had comments or questions
and maybe this information
would have come out of that
process.
Here I am now speaking again.
Ening one of the things this is
really important to figure out
is the permitting and the fez
associated with these permits.
Because in the past the fees
have been Hines Ward to the
amount of parking revenue that
would be again rated from a
spot on the curb.
We know that not everywhere in
the city has paid parking, so
that created a bit of an uneven
playing field for some.
When we only take into
consideration what parking
reference Mizzou could be again
rated, we are not considering
the sales tax revenue that is
being again rated from the
increased commercial activity
in that space.
So I just, I know that in the
past we have to tick us back
one more step, we have always
had these types of permits in
Seattle.
And the up take during the
pandemic was because we made
them free, temporarily and
because we were more flexible
with how we were permitting
these.
Folks remember little park lets
or the walk dining it was very
narrow, small.
And the cost was very high to
the shop owners.
So by allowing this time for
the temporary free cost of the
permit and the ability to be
more flexible with the policy
making we see on Ballard avenue
the structure is going to be a
little bit wider.
For other places the structures
need to be a little tighter.
We have seen retail on the
sidewalks and on the curb.
Having the time to pilot these
different options that be
meaningful and I know SDOT is
close to being aim to get these
policies for the right size for
our city.
I just wanted to take that
moment to talk about the fees
and that beneed to take into
consideration the sales tax
being generated from these
spaces.
That is all I've got for today,
chair.
>> Thank you, council member
Strauss.
Committee members, if I other
comments or questions?
Okay.
Council member Strauss is the
sponsor.
Would you like to move t█he
committee recommend passage of
council bill 912-0256, item 3
on our agenda and I don't let
me pull that number up.
Just a second.
>> 120256.
>> I move council bill 120256
for consideration.
Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> All right it has been moved
and seconded.
Any final comments?
Okay.
Will the clerk please call the
roll on the committee
recommendation that the will be
approved for forwarding to the
full city council?
>> Council member herbal.
>> Yes.
>> Council member Morales?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Sawant?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Strauss?
>> Yes.
>> Chair Peterson?
>> Yes.
>> Five in favor.
None opposed.
>>> Thank you.
The motion carries and the
committee recommendation that
the bill pass will be sent to
the February 22 city council
meeting.
Thank you very much SDOT and
Calvin for being here.
>>> All right.
Well final item will be the
longest.
So strap in.
Will the clerk please read the
title of the final agenda item
into the record.
>> 4. West Seattle and Ballard
link extensions draft
environmental impact statement
for briefing and discussion.
>>> Thank you.
I'm excited to have with us
here today the staff of sound
transit to provide an overview
of the recent draft
environmental impact statement
for their west Seattle and
Ballard link extensions.
The draft is a massive
collection of documents.
A 40-page cover letter.
58 page executive summary.
Six chapters, 30 appendix and
38 fables.
This overview will be helpful
as we know, sound transit is
ablely represented on their
board by our own council
president Juarez and their
Bruce Harrell.
And in addition we plan to make
this committee transportation
public utilities available as a
venue for city council to learn
more about these ambitious
extensions by sound transit and
can serve as a venue making
sure city executive departments
are collaborate and go to
consider Seattle announce and
recommendations regarding this
draft, next steps, this process
is aided by the city's
appointment of marshall foster
as designated representative.
Who is also here today, along
with Sarah max Anna of the
Seattle Department of
Transportation and Calvin of
our own staff.
The draft is attached to our
online agenda and available on
sound transit's website.
Public comments are due by
April 28, when their 90 day
comment period on the draft
expires.
Welcome sound transit.
Let's have you introduce
yourselves, please.
>> Hello, this is kale ridge,
can you hear me?
>> Yes I don't Kay hill ridge,
I'm with sound transit.
The executive corridor
director, which means I'm
responsible for the project as
it moves through the planning
and environmental phase.
I'm joined by our
communications manager, here to
talk about some of our
community engagement efforts,
as well as Sloan day who leads
our planning efforts as well.
>> Great.
Let's say hello quickly to
marshall for the and Sarah max,
good morning.
>> Good morning, chair, council
members.
Marshall foster the director of
the at the's office of the
waterfront and the designated
representative to sound transit
3. I don't and I'm Sarah max,
the sound transit program
director at SDOT supporting
marshall in his role and
leading the interdepartmental
city wide team.
>>> Thank you all for being
here.
I know sound transit has an
extensive power point to
attempt to summarize the draft
for us.
And it is going to be a great
resource for the public as
well.
Lots of information on their
websites.
And this does a good job
summarizing that.
So sound transit, take it away.
>> Thank you.
Chair Peterson, members of the
committee.
As noted, this is an extensive
presentation, but I would note
that it is still just an
overview of a lot of
information as mentioned in the
draft.
So I'll be going through a lot
of information today.
And there may be questions
which indeed we can follow-up
on if
more detail is needed.
>>> So as I said, why we are
here today to share an overview
of the draft process and the
community engagement
collaboration associated with
that and to provide a snapshot
of the results and our station
planning program.
>>> A little bit about a
project background.
The west Scott van Pelt
extensions were clouded in the
sound transit 3 plan.
They basically comprise two
light rail extensions and a new
light rail only downtown
tunnel.
And they amount to about 1
miles of new light rail service
that
will serve 14 stations.
>>> This is a look at the
system as will be in 2032,
showing on the left here and in
2049 when the full system is
built out.
I just wanted to take a moment
to plain this you there is
something to be understood
here.
On the left in 2032 when the
west Seattle extension opens,
you see that pink line with a
number 3 there.
The west Seattle extension
initially will connect into
Soto.
For a period of five years or
so, people who are coming from
west Seattle will transfer to
the main line at Soto.
Five years later, the Ballard
extension will open and the map
on the right shows the full
expansion of the system, which
will be complete by 2042.
In that time frame, at that
time, west Seattle would
connect into the existing
downtown tunnel.
So folks would no longer need
titrants per at Soto, they
would connect right into
downtown and go all the way up
to Everett without making a
transfer.
At the Ballard link extension
will connect into a new
downtown tunnel that will
connect on down to Tacoma.
So just wanted to explain the
transition, if you like, and
the operating system when we
move from 2032 to the future
state.
>>> This is a quick look at our
project timeline.
We are over on the left here in
the planning phase.
In the grown box.
We started back in 2017 and
hopefully concludes next year.
Our objective during the
planning phase was to figure
out what we are going to carry
forward into design and
construction.
So we have a lot of different
alternatives moving through
this process.
But the whole intent of the
planning phase is to decide on
what we will ultimately build
take forward into design and
construction.
On the right side of this
graphic are schedules to get to
west Seattle is 2032 and
Ballard is 2037.
That is our target schedule for
Ballard.
You can see there we do have an
affordability gap.
If we cannot close that gap, by
additional funding our cost
savings then the portion of the
Ballard extension between Smith
cove and Ballard the last
couple of stations would not
open until 2039.
>>> As mentioned we started
this project a few years ago.
We went through an alternative
development phase.
Some folks here I know were
very familiar with that phase
we had.
A lot of engagement at the
council level in that process.
And we went through that
process between 2017 and early
2019.
At the end of that process the
board identified other
alternatives to carry forward
into environmental review.
No the whole purpose of the
development screening process
was to as it suggests screen
from a broad range of initial
alternatives, further screen
and evaluate those alternatives
and get down to a subset that
we
could study in detail in the
Drost EI SO we have been
studying the alternatives that
came out of this inin addition
alternatives development
process.
>>> These the graphing on the
left here highlights the
alternatives that were
identified through the initial
phase and have been studied if
detail in the draft EI S. I'll
speak about these in more
detail as I move through the
next slides.
>>> So, as mentioned, coming
out of alternatives, we have
taken them through
environmental review.
Published a draft document a
couple of weeks ago and we are
now in the public comment
period.
And as mentioned this is a 90
day public comment period that
extends to late April.
After the public comment
period, based on the technical
information in the draft EI S,
and the public feedback, with
he will go back to the sound
transit board, hopefully in
June and request that they
confirm or modify the preferred
alternative that was previously
identified.
We'll then publish a final EI S
next year, and return to the
board again and ask they select
the project to be built.
At that point, that will be at
the conclusion the
environmental process, the
planning process, and we can
then move forward into final
design and construction.
>>> The draft period extends
until April 28.
So a three month period.
I want to emphasize, as I have
already said that, today I'll
be giving a high level overview
of the information.
But I do encourage folks to
look at the draft environmental
statement document itself
available in many different
venues.
This is an image what the front
page of the executive summary.
It is a good place to start if
you want to get a basic
orientation to the project and
there is a lot more orientation
in the document as well and
hopefully that will inform your
comments if you choose to
provide comments on the
alternatives in the document.
>>> As I have been going
through this work effort, and
in partnership with the city,
here's a little of the racial
equity outcomes that we
developed, which are informed
by prior community engagement.
I'll take a moment to read
through them.
The first one is advanced
environmental economic Justice
to improve economic and health
outcome for communities of
color, enhance mobility and
access for communities of
color, low income populations,
create opportunities for
equitable development that
include expanding housing and
community assets for
communities of color.
Avoid disproportionate impacts
on communities of color and low
income populations, create a
sense for belonging for
communities of color make a
station where everyone sees
themselves as belonging being
safe and being welcome, and
meaningfully involving in the
project.
>>> Together with the city, we
have developed a racial equity
tool kit report which build on
the environmental Justice
analysis included in the Dr. .
It is released as a draft.
You can access it at our online
open house and it will be
updated based on comments
received during the draft
common period.
>>> I'm going to hand it over
who will briefly describe some
of our community engagement
operation efforts.
>> Thank you, Cahill.
I'm glad to be here today.
So this Chart provides a
snapshot of the community
engagement and collaboration
process.
As you can see, across the top,
you'll see the Chart captures
from late 2021 through the
first half of 2022.
From January through much of
April is the public comment
period, the FinFET day comment
period Cahill mentioned.
Across the left you see a
snapshot of the engagement
process.
This is just a snapshot to
provide meaningful engagement
and to facilitate broad
participation.
Which I'll highlight a little
bit more after the slide here.
But turning back to this Chart,
and starting with the draft
public meetings, those are
occurring in March.
And you can see that there will
be four virtual public meetings
and one in person meeting
providing that state did local
guidelines related to Covid
allow for that.
We then have the community
advisory groups in red.
And starting here in November,
we kicked off some process with
a process review.
Then in January these groups
dug into station planning.
In February these groups met
with the Dr. result.
Next month they will be doing a
Dr. result deep dive, digging
deeper into those results and
so on.
As each month progresses, these
groups are building common
ground and understanding
highlighting specific issues
and trade offices and
ultimately their feedback along
with all the public feedback
that we received will be shared
with the sound transit bored
before they confirm or modify
the alternative.
The meetings are live streamed
and recordings are available on
our online open house.
Finally, you'll see the
expansion committee of the
sound transit board will spend
time on the draft and public
comments late they are spring,
leading up to the board in June
we expect will confirm or
modify the alternative.
>>> Going a little bit more
into our community engagement
efforts and did you work the
draft comment period I would
first again note our online
open house here.
You see the link.
That website is a great
resource for information about
the project, the draft EI S,
station planning, the advisory
group process, and provides
public except.
It has been translated into
multiple languages and is
available 24/7.
Our community advisory groups
are meeting.
They are four groups meeting
monthly during may.
We'll have four virtual draft
as I mentioned and one in
person in March.
During the virtual meetings the
public can expect presentation,
and an opportunity to provide
public except.
We'll also send out a draft
mailer to 130,000 addresses,
again to build awareness about
the project.
So all along the project
corridor and extending further
in Ballard and west Seattle and
down the dell ridge corridor to
capture those that may connect
to the station by bus or other
modes.
There are many other activities
listed here that I just want to
note, clouding community
briefings and events, fairs,
festivals and I believing.
Property owner webinars, office
hours, and then Muppet liaison
outreach.
Which I wanted to spend a
little bit more time on.
So we are partnering with the
at the of Seattle department of
neighborhoods community leads
on program.
We have expanded this
partnership and are engaging
with 11 community liaisons that
are focused on the station area
as well as the dell ridge
corridor in west Seattle.
The expanded effort kicked off
last summer with six training
sessions, engagement to A's
awareness and establish
relationships leading up to the
public comment periodch these
liaisons are now focused on
encouraging broad awareness and
participation in the comment
period, door-to-door business
where helpful.
I think maybe social media
connections that they have
tabling stations, uptown
spaces, fairs and festival ands
interpretation at community
meetings.
They provide so much more value
than we put on the slide.
But I wanted to take a moment
to note that as well.
>>> Then finally a variety of
ways to provide a common,
online, phone, mail, e-mail,
draft public meetings, and of
course folks can comment in any
language.
Cahill, back to you.
>>> So now I'll provide a brief
overview of the draft results.
Before ium think into that, I
did want to point out a couple
of performance metrics if you
like for the project just to
help you understand some of the
larger objectives that we are
trying to accomplish with this
project.
This is a look at the overall-
pro correct corridor and speaks
to travel times and the
reloyal.
These are by no means the only
benefits of the project but it
does highlight some of the
factors.
It notes the connection from
Westlake to Alaska junction.
Without link would likely be a
30-minute trip, would be
reduced to a 60 minute trip.
You can see in terms of transit
reliability, that would move
the liability rating from a
dEor testimony, to an a.
Similarly for the connection
from Westlake to Ballard and
market street in Ballard, you
would be changing a trip from
38 minutes or so noted there
down to 11 minutes and again
the transit re liability rating
would go to an a rating.
>>> As I noted up front there
is a lot of information in the
draft.
These are the topics typically
studied.
There is many things that you
know are described and I can
possibly go through all of it
today but I will be talking
about some of the key
considerations to help orient
you to perhaps some of the
trade offices differeniators
between some of the
alternatives on the corridor.
>>> So I'll start with the
downtown segment, and then you
can see I'll go through other
segments along the corridor
after that.
I'll crib the alternatives in
each case and I'll talk about
some of the key considerations
associated with those
alternatives.
Again starting with downtown.
>>> This shows the alternatives
that we have in the do you want
area.
So you can see we have the in
pink when we call the fifth if
Harrison alternative.
That is because it goes along
Harrison avenue and transitions
to Westlake and transitions
over to Harrison.
Ultimately, lands in republican
in Seattle center area.
You can see there high lied in
the black text station
locations and the rectangles
beside them.
Stations at midtown, Westlake,
Denny, South Lake union and
Seattle center.
We also have blue alternatives
there called the system
alternative.
That is shorthand because it
goes along sixth to midtown
then Terry avenue through South
Lake union and on to mercer.
And again the stations are
pretty much very similar
locations.
Midtown, west lick, Denny,
south lake union and Seattle
center.
>>> This is a quick snapshot of
some of the key considerations
if you like between the
alternatives.
So it is a table.
You can see the pink fifth and
Harrison alternative and the
blue, sixth and mercer.
And along the left there, you
see some key considerations,
including project costs,
residential and business so on
down that police there.
Cable is shaded.
Color coded if you like.
Darker shading means higher
performing.
You can see the legend in the
about the right.
Darker is higher performing of
the lighter means lower
performing.
I won't go through this in a
lot did he have tail.
But if you can see the pink
alternative it performs a
little better in terms of
project cost, residential,
business, historic property
effects and park effects.
Whereas the blue alternative
performs better in terms of
traffic effects.
Not others many roadways
affected no also note at the
bottom here other
considerations.
So we have highlighted a few
other things that are notable
between these alternatives.
One of those is a construction
ground noise effects, note not
guilty particular some of the
sensitive uses in South Lake
union and Seattle center that
would be affected by the
alternatives.
It also notes disruption to
streetcar operations during
construction and that would be
the case for either
alternative.
Different locations but either
alternative would affect
streetcar operations during
construction.
>>> At the last couple of
bullets there note, the
connections to adjacent
segments, so for example, with
the pink alternative, that
alternative will connect to any
of the alternatives in the chin
town to the south, whereas the
blue connects only to the
shallow alternatives in the
Chinatown ID.
And similarly to the north,
these alternatives have some
limitations in Terps of what
they connect to in the adjacent
segment.
So that is the do you want
segment.
I went through that very
quickly.
I'll move forward into the next
segment to the north, which is
the south interface segment.
Gun.
We have throw alternatives in
this segmentment.
The pink is known named the
Gator street station central
inner bay alternative.
We also have a in blue a
prospect street station central
interbay alternative.
And a prospect street station
15th avenue alternative.
You can see callouts to where
those alternatives are on this
graphic.
They all have a station
somewhere in the Smith cove
area.
In the case of the blue that
station is right adjacent to
prospect street, whereas with
the pink, it is a little
further north, spanning Gator
street just south of the
magnolia bridge.
>>> Again, this summary table
highlighting some of the key
considerations for each
alternative.
I won't go through all the
numbers here obviously.
I'll just focus on some of the
darker shaded higher performing
areas.
You can see for the pink
alternative for example on the
left, it performs higher in
terms of project costs and
performs higher in terms of boy
oh diversity effects in yellow.
If you move right with the blue
alternative on the right, you
can see that the prospect
street station performs better
in terms of residential
displacements.
And also performs better in
terms of roadway effects.
And in terms of other
considerations at the bottom, I
would note both the
alternatives on the right would
be running adjacent to the
Queen Anne hillside steep
slopes.
So there are engineering
construct built challenges
associated with those
alternatives.
>>> Moving to the interbay
Ballard segment f the project,
with a number of alternatives
in this area.
The pink alternative is the
fertile turn of the elevated
14th avenue alternative.
So it would be a high fixed
bridge over the ship canal with
a station in Ballard spanning
market street on 14th.
We also in brown have a couple
of tunnel alternatives on 14
and on 15th.
The stations would either
object 14th or 15th in Ballard
and to the west of the existing
about hard bridge, we also have
a movable bridge alternative
which we elevated 15th avenue
alternative I don't excuse me.
Council member Morales, I
believe has a comment or
question.
>> So sorry.
Didn't see that.
>> Well, I appreciate the
previous slides where you are
showing the different
considerations that you have
and how things rank based on
those considerations.
But can you talk a little bit
about whether local businesses
are part of those
considerations and how that is
included in the consideration?
>> Yeah.
Let me see.
Perhaps go to an example.
Yeah.
So, for example, in the
downtown area, we do have, we
have noted here in the third
row the difference in business
displacements associated with
these alternatives.
Again this is just a
quantitative measure, pure just
number of businesses that would
be potentially displaced by one
alternative versus the other.
You can see in the downtown
segment not a huge difference
between the alternatives in
terms of business
displacements.
There is a lot more information
in the draft on when specific
businesses are affected and
what would be the effects to
them in particular.
So I would encourage anyone
interested in that to refer to
the draft EI SO we don't always
highlight business displacement
in the other segments, because
it isn't a significant
difference and that is why
sometimes it is not always
mentioned in these summary
slides.
>>> So speaking to intheir bay
Ballard segment I think I went
through the alternatives here.
No so again, a snapshot of how
these alternatives compare to
each other.
February, I'll just focus on
the darker shaded areas for the
sake of time.
You can see there, in the
middle "The Tunnel" 14th
alternative.
Generally performs favorably in
terms of project cost, as well
as residential displacements,
historic property effects,
employee displacements and in
water effects.
This had be a tunnel so it
wouldn't have any what you are
effects.
You can see some of the other
alternatives, the alternative
to the right of that also
performs well in terms of many
measures apart from project
cost and then over on the right
there, you see the elevated
15th alternative forms quite
well in terms of cost and
residential displacements.
There are a number of other
considerations that are noted
at the bottom here.
I think they are important to
call out.
Generally, with the elevated
alternatives, the pink one on
the left or the blue ones on
the right, they will
potentially have maritime
business displacements
associated with them, as well
as other effects.
Example boat ramps or strong
water that would be worth
noting as well in those areas.
I think I'll leave it at that
for now and move onto the next
segment.
>>> Moving to China town ID.
We have a number of
alternatives in the Chinatown
ID.
This is one area of the project
where the board did not
previously identify a preferred
alternative so all these were
studied I had in detail.
You can see a station
potentially on fourth avenue.
We label it fourth shallow or
fourth deep.
Referring to the depth of the
station.
Similarly.
>> We have a station that could
be located on fifth avenue.
Again, we have a fifth shallow
and a fifth deep alternative
and those labels are referring
to the depth of the station at
those locations.
Also in response to feedback
during Phase I developed a new
alternative called a fifth
shallow diagonal configuration
born out of a desire to try to
reduce the crux effects and
traffic detours and so on in
this area.
It is a slightly different
alignment, but station location
the head house for the station
would be basically the same
location as the fifth shallow
alternative.
>>> This is a very detailed
table and a lot of it is to do
with construction effects in
orange and that is really
because construction effects
was a key driver, key concern
in this area with all the
alternatives.
So again, I won't go through
the table in full.
But I will focus on some of the
darker shaded areas.
So you can see moving the top
anything terms of project cost.
Fifth shallow, and diagonal
alternatives, the third and
fourth toward the middle and
right of the table perform
better in terms of cost.
Moving down, not a lot of
distinctions in terms of
residential dispolicements
apart from the fourth shallow
alternative having a number of
displacements associated with
it.
Business displacements, you can
see fourth shallow and fourth
deep would have fewer.
So those are higher performing
alternatives.
Dope stations would be elevator
only.
That a consideration.
To give you an idea, I think
moving toward the right of this
GSK you see more darker
shading, better performance in
terms of this duration of the
construction period being
shorter, the number of detours
of traffic, the effect on
streetcar places and the effect
on utilities and so on.
There are notes at the bottom
again referencing how these
alternatives can connect to
other alternatives in a
adjacent segments, I won't go
through all those permutations
here for the sake of time.
I would note, with the two
alternatives to the left, the
fourth shallow and the fourth
deep, they do have effects to
base in the case of fourth
shallow, it would displace the
riders and bus Foo moving south
to the Soto segment.
We have four alternatives in
section.
Top left you have an grade
staggered configuration.
South station option and mixed
profile option.
So as implied by the name the
alternative is essentially
grade within the existing Soto
busway.
It would be adjacent to the
existing station at that
location.
And this would include
overpasses, which are noted
here at lander and at hole
gate.
So today there are not
overpasses at those locations.
The vehicle operations and rail
operations will be separated
from each other, so there would
be no conflict between those
two modes after the project is
built.
That is the same for the
stagger consideration.
The only difference here is the
new station is staggered a
little bit to the north.
Still possible transfer between
lines essentially the same in
terms of access.
But the reason we stagger it
there is this alternative would
avoid I want packets to a USPS
facility in that location,
which would be difficult to
relocate.
>>> And the top right here, we
have an alternative called the
south station option.
The difference here is the new
platform and the existing
station would move south,
closer to lander street.
>>> And then finally, the mixed
profile alternative, this is a
bit different in the sense that
the station would be elevated.
Not at grade.
So there would be an elevated
station ajace sent to the
existing at grade station and
this alternative would not have
an overpass at lappedder
because the goad bay would be
elevated.
It would not be possible to
have an overcrossing of the
light rail at that location.
It would still be an overpass
at hole gate street.
>>> Again, summary table, just
focusing on the higher
performing, the at grade
stagger configuration performs
higher in terms of project
cost.
Not a lot of distinction
between the alternatives in
terms of business
displacements.
In terms of effects, if you
look to the right there you see
the mixed pro fill alternative
would result if a temporary
closure of the Soto bus.
I mean for about 10 years.
But the other alternatives
would result in permanent
closure of the existing busway.
The mixed profile alternative
on the right would result some
night and weekend closures of
land err street, and the others
would result in a longer-term
closure of lander street.
Noting the difference between
alternatives in terms of grade
separated crossings and it also
notes the connections to the
alternatives in the adjacent CI
dsegment and notably, in the
middle of the at grade stagger
configuration, as I mentioned
would avoid reelection of the
existing USPS facility in that
area.
>>> Moving to next, we have
three alternatives in this
gray.
In the middle of this graphic,
you can see the existing west
Seattle bridge, east west
crossing harbor island,
preferred alternative from
Phase I is just the pink line
just to the south of that.
Labeled south crossing
alternative.
Then we also have below that a
blue line called a south edge
crossing the Lynn.
Similar it would just cross
harbor island a bit further
south.
>>> Then we have a north
crossing alternative on the
north side of the existing west
Seattle bridge.
These are all elevated bridges.
But this one would be on the
north side, crossing over fort
property.
>>> Again, quick summary of how
these KIRO to each others,
south crossing alternative
would perform better in terms
of project cost.
And if you scan down that
column, you see it would have
if youer maritime business
displacements than the other
alternatives.
Then I think I would note
perhaps the alternative on the
right the north crossing
alternative would perform
better in terms of residential
displacements and partial
effects.
>> In the bottom of this
graphic under other
considerations, you'll note
some of the things we need to
deal with, pigeon point
construct built challenges in
that area and then on the
right, I would note that north
crossing alternative would
impact port of Seattle
facilities.
>> Cahill we have a question or
comment from council member
Turnbull.
>> Thanks, quick question.
Do all three of these crossing
alternatives work with the
different alternatives in dell
ridge?
>> Yes.
>> Thank you.
>>> So finally, with the dell
region and west Seattle
junction alternatives.
There are a lot of alternatives
in west Seattle and dell ridge.
Didn't screen down too many
during the initial phase and
indeed added some.
I deal with both together
because they really do interact
with each other.
What you decide to do in dell
ridge reflects what Ma you can
do in the Alaska junction and
vice-versa.
That is why I'm going through
both together here.
Starting on the left with the
alternative in the Alaska
junction area and the pink
lines, the elevated
alternatives, you can see we
have a pink line labeled
elevated font Leroy, and to the
left of that, we have on the
another pink alternative
elevated 41, 42.
Again the vicinity of Alaska
treat but in the 41, 42 street
area.
>>> Then we have the brunt
alternativessing "The Tunnel"
alternatives we studied in
Phase I and it involves
stations at either 41st or
42nd.
And then, in blue, are a couple
of additional tunnel
alternatives that we studied
during the draft phase in
response to the direction for
the alternatives that would be
more effective from a cost
perspective and reduce effects.
Those are labeled short tunnel
41st and medium tunnel 41.
Referring to the length of
those tunnels.
In both cases the tunnels the
stations themselves would be on
41st.
>>> Moving to the right in the
dell ridge corridor, you'll ahe
see in pink a preferred
alternative on Dakota street.
So the alignment would be
elevated, cross over there, and
the vicinity of Dakota street,
you would have the station and
continue along Genesee street
to connect one of the pink
lines in the junction area.
We also have the possibility of
going into a tunnel connecting
with tunnel options in the
junction.
You cansee there just the
brown yeah brown callout.
Dakota street lower height
alternative.
The station would be in the
same location in dell ridge but
the guide way height would be
lower and then connect to
tunnel options in the junction.
To the right of that, you see
dell Ridgeway, it is a blue
alternative.
So if that case, the station
would be on dell Ridgeway,
spanning street in that
location.
And again, connecting to
Genesee street, connecting to
the alternative to the junction
area.
>>> And then the third station
location in the dell ridge area
is up in the Andover street
area.
And you can see that that would
connect along Andover treat,
and then could either go along
avalon way or adjacent to the
west Seattle bridge on-ramp
area there.
And those are labeled Andover
street and Andover street lower
height alternatives.
>>> So briefly here, there is a
lot of alternatives in the
junction.
And indeed, this doesn't
represent all of the different
combinations that you could
have.
But it does give you a sense of
how these alternatives compare
to each other.
So again, focusing on just the
darker shaded areas for
purposes of this conversation,
in terms of project costs, you
can see that the on the left
here the pink elevated font
Leroy Dakota street does
perform well in terms of
project cost.
On the right there, you see
second from the right, the
medium tunnel 41st, Andover
street lower height alternative
also is comparable in terms of
cost.
And then to the right of that,
elevated font Leroy Andover
street.
So you know, few alternatives
there to compare to each other
in terms of the cost measure.
>>> Residential displacements I
think the one to focus on
perhaps is to the right here.
Medium tunnel 41st performs
high mer terms of residential
displacements.
Business displacements, a you
be if of alternatives are
comparable to each other there
as well.
Sort of in the to mid 30 range
for business displacements.
And then park effects, the
Hoyer performing alternatives
are the ones on the right there
as well.
You can see both the medium
tunnel 41st and elevated font
Leroy would not impact parks.
>>> Other considerations and
this is important, something I
should highlight.
You can see with the elevated
alternatives, the pink on the
right and you know the pink
alternatives on the left rather
and some of the alternatives on
the right are elevated.
If you are elevated in a
junction, you would result
generally speaking result in a
taller guide way in dell ridge
area.
So that is something to be
aware of.
If you pick an elevated
alternative in the junction, it
does mean that you will have a
higher guide way in the dell
ridge area start.
Whereas if you pick a tunnel
alternative in the junction, it
will generally result in a
lower guide way in the dell
ridge area as well.
>>> There are some other things
to note there.
I won't go through these in
detail, but you can look at
those as well under the
considerations note.
>>> So next slide please.
>> Council member has a
question.
>> This is about the content of
the EI SO one of the things I
have been hearing from
constituents is that evaluating
the options that not all of
them have clear visual
representations in the draft EI
SO I'm wondering are there
plans to provide visuals?
>> We did have our initial
draft results overview with the
west Seattle community advisory
group just last week, I think
it was.
It was an about in doing a
deeper dive on visual.
So at our flexion community
advisory group meeting in
March, we'll be spending some
time going through visual
representatives of the
alternatives.
For folks interested in that
topic, I would encourage them
to tune into that next meeting
where fantastic.
Thank you.
>>> I think we can move to the
next section and I'm going to
hand it over to Sloan Dawson.
>> Thank you, Cahill.
Can everyone hear me okay?
Great.
It is an honor to be here with
you today, council members and
chair Peterson.
I'm going to give a brief
overview of our approach for
station planning on this
project.
But not going toett into all
the details, because there is a
lot out there and it is
summarized in a report now
available online.
But to start with, we are
taking a different approach in
the sound transit 3 program and
really thinking very early on
in the start of developing our
light rail and transit project,
to think about how the stations
knit into the communities that
they serve.
And this slide is sort of an
aspirational vision of what
station planning can achieve
when done in a timely way on
really thinking out the
location of the station and the
positioning of entries in the
urban fab breaks that are
highly accessible and visible.
Thinking about those walking
and biking connections, making
sure they are convenient and
safe to access the station.
Of course working with our
partners at king county metro
and cities on seamless
integration between those modes
of transit at the station since
that is a big part of the sound
transit strategy here to
provide connecting service into
the light rail network.
And then at the site level,
really thinking about the
design of the immediate
environment stations.
The public spaces around the
stations having great transit
Plazas, as well as
opportunities to integrate with
adjacent development.
So that is really what we are
trying to achieve with station
planning.
>>> And to do that, requires
partnership.
And also acknowledgement that
there are many actors with
distinctive responsibilities
within these larger station
service areas.
So this slide helps orient us
to sort that have nesting
geography of response, if you
will, and also the focus of our
station planning program at
sound transit.
That is really focused on the
station context.
About one to throw blocks
surrounding the station, which
will see the most direct
physical change.
Station construction
operations.
As noted it is an area of
shared responsibility, so it is
aiography that encompasses
investments sound transit is
making as well as investments
made by others, in this case
the city of Seattle, as well as
metro.
And of course third party
developers and property owners.
And ultimately, by engaging in
this early planning around the
station context, we hope to co-
create a vision that we can
align existing and planned
investments, both within sound
transit, as well as with our
partners, and service of
community priorities and needs.
In the station graze.
>>> So to that end, we have
created a co-planning
partnership.
We have been working regularly
with Citi staff from multiple
departments, on Seattle city
light, and the list goes on.
To engage and evaluate these
that Cahill mentioned.
>>> So a little bit of a
background as to how we got
here and where we are going
next.
This is that earlier overall-
pro correct timeline slide that
Cahill was speaking to.
And the emimagine at the about
the of this is really speaking
to the steps that we are going
through now, in this early
station context planning.
We began with alternatives
development in 2017 through
2019 on where we did studies,
as well as on neighborhood
forums throughout the corridor
to identify station sites and
line alternatives that were now
informing conceptual locations
that we have studied advanced
design on for the draft.
In parallel we have been
working to develop draft
station context urban design
concepts and those are
summarized in the draft report,
which I'll have a slide on
right after this, that we have
released alongside the draft to
help inform community
conversations and decision
making around, which station
alternatives perform well with
respect to urban integration
and development potential, and
accessibility.
But ultimately, as we move from
the draft EI S into the final
EI S, we'll be working with
communities, with our agency
partners to refine the design
concepts, and produce a final
station context framework that
we can really all work to
design to and performing well
and
successfully.
Going forward.
>>>
>>> So this work is all
summarized in a progress report
station planning progress
report that is available on our
online open house and on our
website.
It summarizes ideas,
recommendations, as well as
presents the station concepts
for all the alternatives
studied in the draft EI SO and
it is really representing the
ideas, feedback and
recommendations that sound
transit staff, as well as our
great agency partner staff city
of Seattle king county metro
have come up with
as we have evaluated the
station concepts and really
focus on those key dimensions
of station planning with
respect to access.
How people are getting to the
station on transit, as well as
on active modes, biking and
walking, as well as potential
transit development concept and
opportunities for public space
and streets around the
stations.
>>> So I encourage you to visit
that report, there is a lot
more information in detail on
the station concepts.
Thank you.
>>> Back to you, Leta.
>>> I can take this if you want
and.
>> Yeah.
>>> It is just a reminder of
where we are in the process.
Just a highlight we are going
through the public comment
period leading to public
hearings in March leading to
ultimately going to system
expansion committee in the
spring and the board hopefully
in June.
Just a reminder about the
process we described earlier.
I did want to emphasize noted
earlier in response to a
question the upcoming community
advisory group meetings where
we'll be doing a deeper drive
on the results.
If you missed the February
community advisory group
meetings or the January
February meetings, they are all
recorded, all available on the
online open house and I would
recommend you look at them in
January.
Stone went into a great deal of
detail on the planning concept
and all of that information is
available from a recorded
version of those presentations.
And as mentioned earlier in
February, we did an overview of
the draft results so went into
a good deal more detail than I
went into today for each of the
segments of the corridor.
And then as noted here in
March, we will be doing these
deeper dive.
When we presented the result to
the community advisory group in
February, they had questions,
things they wanted to know more
about and the intent of the
Fedex round of these meetings
is to try and circle back and
provide more information to
address some of those concerns.
So you can see there the dates
of our community advisory group
on Tuesday March 1, 5-7.
Downtown mount advisory group
Thursday March 3, they are all
5 to 7:00.
>>> West Seattle community
group Tuesday March 1, and Soto
community advisory group
meeting on Tuesday March 10.
All live streamed.
If you can't make it you can
check out the recording and
access all these at the online
open link.
>>> On the final slide on the
online open house, Leta spoke
to it earlier.
This just kind of lays out, if
you like, the various bits of
information that are available.
If you go to this site, again,
it is translated into many
different languages.
You can see tabs and the gray
bands along the top there and
those are the same noted in the
bullets on the left side of
this GSK.
So you can get a project
overview.
You can get access to the draft
EI S, you can comment on the
draft EI S, you can go through
all the station information
kind of give a brief
introduction to, check out the
advisory groups and the
regardings of those.
This information to property
owners if you are potentially
affected and finally and most
importantly, get involved
section featuring all the
different ways that we are
engaging if various forums
beyond the regular draft EI S
meetings any other meetings we
were doing with many other ways
to engage in the information if
the draft EI S.
>> That concludes our
presentation for today.
I'm happy to we are any
questions.
>>
>>> Thank you very much for
this excellent, thorough, clear
presentation.
It is available on our council
agenda.
Sound transit's business sound
transit's website.
We are going to hear from
marshall foster and Sarah max
briefly but let's pause here
for questions and comments from
council members.
I saw council member Strauss.
>> Cahill, Leta, so great to
see you.
It has been so long.
Sloan Knight nice to meet you
virtually here.
Man, I'm so excited to be pack
here talking about our favorite
topic.
If we could pull up and pull
back to slide 30.
I notice we didn't do it in a
straight line.
So come back up to slide 3. I
had some questions about here
and interbay.
So the Ballard, first question
here is have we been able to
do, and I know you spoke a
little bit to this.
But frame this more clearly.
What is the curch status of the
cost comparison between a high
level tunnel or bridge and a
tunnel?
I don't yes.
The next slide answers that
directionally in the first row.
So you can see what the high
level bridge on the left there
cost range would be 1.5 to $1.6
billion range.
You can see with the elevated
alternatives on the right here,
the blue, they would also be in
a that same range.
"The Tunnel" alternatives are
in the middle of the graphic
here.
And "The Tunnel" 14th
alternative would also be about
$1.5 billion.
So comparable, if you like, to
the elevated alternatives.
The tunnel 5th option in the
middle will be a couple of
hundred million dollars more
expensive.
So those are all updated
estimates from you know, the
prior estimates a couple of
years ago.
>>> Really appreciate you in
this slid calling out the other
factors that we need to
exercise.
As far as the engineering of
the tunnel when we look at
this, what cost drivers are
there for the difference
between 14th and 17th.
Or we'll get to my next
questions about 20th when we
are locking at that range
between 20th avenue and 14th
avenue, separate and aside for
the historic properties,
residential displacement, when
I'm just looking at building
"The Tunnel," what are the cost
drivers I need to be thinking
about when I lock at the
difference between 20th and
14th as the range?
>> Yeah, well, in this GSK, we
just speak to 14th and 15th.
Those are the two alternatives
that are examined in the draft
EI S. And as noted here, there
is a difference between the
cost of those two tunnel
alternatives.
It is driven really by the
depth of the tunnel and the
need to mind the tail track in
the 15th area.
There is a few particular
constraints associated with
that, that drive the station
deeper also require the tail
tracks to be mined, which means
the cost of that alternative is
greater overall.
We have not looked at a 20th
alignment in the draft EI S.
That was something that was
considered, you may recall in
Phase I. I know you were
involved at that time.
And was not moved forward at
that time if a number of
reasons, a lot to do with the
length of the tunnel which
drove the cost of that tunnel,
as well as the impacts of the
station location and the
challenges of
constructing it to the west.
So right now those alternatives
further west were screened out.
They were not looked at in the
draft EI S. The two
alternatives that are, are
shown here in the middle of
this graphic.
>> Thank you, Cahill.
Let me take what I heard you
just say and answer my own
question.
Because I think it was really
helpful.
And please add on to this list
if I've missed any cost
drivers.
What I'm hearing is length of
tunnel, depth of tunnel, and
soil condition.
Are there other factors that I
need to be thinking about when
locking at constructing this
tunnel here?
>> Length, depth, two big cost
drivers.
And how you construct "The
Tunnel" is, or elements of the
tum, if you like.
The particular issue in the
15th area which drives the cost
is that, that area is built-up.
As you know.
There is some recent
development in that area.
So it drives down the depth of
the tunnel.
Because you have to avoid
building foundations and so on
in that area and you can only
mine.
You can't do cut and offer in
those locations.
That is a big cost driver.
>> So maybe one of the unknowns
is what future development will
be taking police at 14th that
might increase some of these
costs and make it a more level
comparison, would that be a
fair assumption to make at this
time in.
>> That is true.
The difference with the 14th
tunnel as it is assigned right
now is that it would be within
the street right-of-way.
So there is a certain amount of
I would say lessens the risk,
if you like.
Compared to the 15th tunnel.
That is a risk if there.
But you are right.
Development is always a risk
throughout the corridor and the
impacts of building foundations
and so on can drive up costs
and that has been a factor as
we have moved through project
development.
>> Or I might even offer the
20th street station might have
other factors of publicly owned
spaces that could be utilized.
I think you might be sensing a
theme here that I really would
love us to be able to study the
20th street, just so that we
have anles to anles comparison
between 20 and the 14th, where
the highest levels of density
in the neighborhood, it would
be helpful for me to understand
those comparisons as we move
forward.
We don't have to do it now,
clearly.
>>> But my next question is, we
were looking at station
placement and construction here
in Ballard, what factors do we
need to take into consideration
at this time to ensure it
operates well for the
expansion?
You know, buzz I know at some
point in the future, the train
line will continue.
You know I look at University
of Washington, when I ride the
train over there, the stadium
is called University of
Washington station.
And that was at the end of the
line when it was created and
yes, of course, the only
station that goes to University
of Washington.
But now here we are a number of
years later where U district is
unclear which one is actually
closer to the University of
wish awash.
So you know, are a naming
standpoint from that kind of
bureaucratic standpoint, there
is considerations.
But what I focus on here is
what do I need to be thinking
about?
Do we need to have the station
north south, east west no does
it need to be at a certain
depth or not a certainly depth
to continue that tunnel in the
future?
>> Our long-range plan does
identify the potential
extension to the north.
We have anticipated that could
be something that would happen
in the future.
And designed it as such.
But it is something we feed to
keep designing and anticipating
as well as we go through this
process.
But yes, there is not an S T-4.
As you know, we do we try not
to preclude that opportunity.
I don't I think that is the
correct response from sound
transit.
But as Mott working for sound
transit I'm going to be pushing
for S T-4 hard and fast.
Maybe when we met the next time
I'll ask some of these
questions again to get a better
understanding of especially
does "The Tunnel" need to be
north south for extension and
expansion or some of those
other questions about
placement.
But I'll leave that now.
Just want to thank you all so
great to see you.
I'll follow-up off line with
more questions.
No council member Morales?
>> Good morning, everyone.
Thanks very much for this
presentation and for the 60
page executive summary.
Still working month I way
through that.
I'll be honest.
I first want to thank you for
your explanation of the
community liaison program and
how you are using that program
in our department of
neighborhoods especially to do
outreach in the ID and to make
sure folks are getting as much
of this information as possible
in language.
This is a really technical
document that we have, you
know, fit if a government
audience.
And I'm wondering if you could
talk a little bit first about
how you kind of turned this
into digestible information for
folks.
You know, I think for the most
part, people are really less
interested in the technical
side and more interested in
like how am I going to get my
stroller off the platform if
the elevator is broken?
Or will I be able to get a
coffee when I get off the
train?
On the platform?
So can you talk first about how
you are translating this, not
just into other languages, but
into something that his easier
for folks to understand the
implications of?
>>Ia, thank you.
It is definitely something that
is top of mind for us.
Especially if the community
that we will serve with the
project.
And to facilitate meaningful
engagement in the process.
One thing we are doing in term
of our materials just translate
and go transcreating as much as
possible by engaging with the
community and our community
based organization partners
early in the process.
We have been able to hear from
them what are those kinds of
questions that are really
meaningful for community
members?
Like what are the ones that
will really matter to them?
We heard a lot about the
construction of tracks and
trying to understand those
questions around access.
The other theme that we have
also reflected in term of our
racial tool kit report Dr. ,
sort of a consolidated place
where it is a lot of
information we have heard might
be most powerful to community
members that it is really about
how we limit the harmful
impacts and look at
opportunities to identify, even
building that sort of this
partnership with our agency
partners, how do we identify
opportunities with the project
to do that?
Those are things we have heard
as common themes, as well.
And maximizing those
connections and supporting the
community with the long-term
vision.
So with those kinds of
questions with us and with many
different ways and tables that
we are set fog engagement
providing additional tech :
resources and community
resources in terms of
translation, we are hoping that
we can help folks really zero
in on what matters most to them
and get those kind of World
Series that will help them with
the comments.
But it is definitely something
very top of mind for us we have
been talking with the city
quite a bit about in terms of
making sure folks can engage
meaningfully.
>> I appreciate that.
Approximate you know, part of
why I asked is buzz my office
is starting to hear from folks
in the CI dabout their
preferred alternative.
And after seeing the prep
tation, preferred alternative,
I'm hearing about is not one of
the ones that you know,
performs best.
And so I probably will be
asking to have a conversation
with all of you about how we
address that.
Chair Peterson, I have a couple
more questions.
I don't so thank you for that
enter.
I also wanted to talk about you
know, as we are moving through
these decisions, there are
diversity of concerns and
opinions and really diversity
of needs in the different
neighborhoods.
You know, Ballard and the
junction are all very
different.
So I'm wondering, and I'm
particularly thinking about
Soto.
And you know, this industrial
area, there is another separate
EI S process going on, about
our maritime industrial lands.
And so I wonder if you can talk
a little bit about how future
light rail stations will
interact with surrounding
industrial lands in I'm
thinking about walk sheds,
about the need for supporting
pedestrian safety, bike
infrastructure, especially as
we contemplate the projections
that you have for ridership in
the sort of growth in ridership
you would like to see, if we
are talking about the
industrial area, where there is
freight and I uses going on
there, I would like to hear a
little bit about how you are
balancing those seemingly
compoting demands and
projections for how that will
be used.
That pace will be used.
I don't I might call on you to
speak, stone.
A lot of the topics you touched
on there is something that we
have really speaks to our
station planning effort in that
area.
And stone, perhaps you could
úsmoke to some of those details
if you don't minute I don't
absolutely.
So, thanks for the question.
It is something we have been
thinking about for the station
planning material I was just
presenting.
The report contains chapters
focused on all of the stations,
looking at all the
alternatives.
On and engages those themes
directly.
What are those approaches for
folks walking, biking to the
station?
And how might we, together with
the city and with metro, look
at opportunities to make
investments?
To make that more
approachingable, safer, better
experience?
You know, obviously with so
many alternatives to study, we
haven't been able to develop
very detailed sort of ground-
level renderings and
perspectives thills trait those
potential opportunities, but we
have been able to really in
that report, capture the idea
and high lit the opportunity
for those improvements.
And of course in the trial
lands, areas with Soto interbay
on Ballard Smith cove, there is
that additional layer of how do
we ensure that whatever land
use decisions and
transportation decision
investments the city makes
complements the urban design
and the potential of the
stations to serve those areas.
So we have highlighted
opportunities for integrated
joint development and adjacent
transit orient development, and
of course you know, with
whenever in the future we hear
from city related policy
decisions that will influence
the direction the character, et
cetera, of those development
opportunities I don't I see
marshall has his hand raised.
Which was perfect, because we
are getting to our interface
zones between sound transit and
the cities.
>>> Marshall, please go ahead
to we are for council member
more RLSA.
I'm glad you are here as the
designated representative,
repping all the departments.
This really gets into the
access and integration of the
built environment.
So please, go ahead.
I don't thank you very much,
chair.
Council members it is great to
to be with you.
And also want to respect Mize
Sarah I are who is our sound
transit program lead at SDOT.
I wanted to take the
opportunity to just you know,
emphasize how much in addition
to the conversations that we'll
be having through this
committee and obviously the
critical work we are doing in
the mount to help lift up
voices and also to frankly
intern and help make this
document digestible, the city
team is in the middle of a very
extensive review and analysis
of the document.
And one of the major questions
and aspects that we are working
on is the land use you know,
imications of some of the
station locations and how to
best think about it.
There is a very complicated
kind of crosswalk between those
issues.
I want to give a shoutout the
team with Sloan and others at
sound transit has been
extremely collaborative in
doing the station complex
framework work and I think
there is a pretty good
foundation of understanding
that is shared in Terps of how
to think about those decisions
in the best way.
And frankly, as you know,
council member Peterson laid
out in an e-mail to us, as
departments last woke, we
really want to use this
committee as a co-venue, to be
able to, you know, share some
of that analysis with you and
start to, our hope is we can
come to really a shared
picture, as a city, for what
our feedback to sound transit
should be the environmental
document and we are glad to
have a chance, I think we are
expecting it you know, in
earnest in April, to really be
able to look at those issues in-
depth.
So key issues, more work
underway.
I'm excited we have a solid
city team and city effort
underway to startframing up
those decisions.
>>> Thank you.
I appreciate that.
I'll fence up.
I just want to say I do think
it is important as we have got
these two separate processes
happening, we have you know,
projections for population
growth, for job growth across
the city.
And we need to keep in mind
what that means for people's
ability to get around to and
from these stations safely.
And I really appreciate the
conversation about the station
area context and from sound
transit's perspective, that
means you know, 1 to 3 blocks
away.
So you know, and the shared
responsibility that we will all
have to make sure that people
can get where they need to go
you know, in, as we are, I am
observing the park station
going in and all of the
thousands of units of housing
going in up and down rainier
avenue, I'm really mindful of
what that means for pedestrian
safety getting to the station,
and the need for us to be very
thoughtful about not just
building housing, although we
all know how important that is
in the city.
But really making health any,
safe neighborhoods and that
gets us to the goal of having
vibrant communities.
So I appreciate mowing that you
are thinking about that, too.
And going about the projections
that we have as a city,
threading all of those together
so that we are billing healthy
neighborhoods is going to be
our task for the next 20 years.
Thank you.
Appreciate your time.
>>> We have our own city
document central staff senior
analyst Calvin Chao.
>>> Thank you.
Council members.
I guess I wanted to emphasize
for everyone that this is a
long process of screening the
environmental review, council
was engaged in this a couple of
years ago as part of the
elected leadership group and it
continues after this.
Each you know, this is really
about trying to get the major
themes of our review the
environmental work.
Sound transit will have to
response to all those comments.
They are also doing additional
cost savings and refinement
work that will be brought
forward to make a
recommendation ultimately to
the board.
At least for the environmental
process to get that bought off
by the FDA and a record
decision that defines what the
mandatory requirements of the
project are.
So I think it is just really
important for us to be focused
on what the city's main themes
and concerns are.
And that will inform sort of
the the city's comments on it.
But to also recognize that the
decision making process will go
on into the summer and into the
next year as the environmental
process completes, it is
important for us to kind of
remember that we are still in
this narrowing process.
>>> Thank you, Cal no and we
will be bringing sound transit
back to our committee in April
and everybody, all the council
members have a direct line of
communication to sound transit
and really just want to
emphasize the district city
council members know their
districts best and should be
viewed as leaders and resources
in their district.
As decisions are being made and
community input is being
provided.
We are really fortunate to have
marshall for the and Sarah max
sort of bringing together the
executive department so that we
can make sure we are providing
adequate access and integration
into the built environment, and
having the city speak as a
unified voice to the extent we
and a big picture, while being
supportive implementing this
successfully, so with that, if
there are no more comments, we
will, again, invite sound
transit back.
I want to thank sound transit
for putting together this
presentation.
It is a real resource to the
community to have this power
point presentation and all
those links and know how to
engage with sound transit, with
their district council members
and with the city executive.
And also our board members.
So thank you, everybody.
Appreciate it.
It was a very efficient
presentation, and very thorough
and we will be contacting you
later with additional input.
And we'll see you back in
April, as well.
>>> All right.
Well thank you.
This concludes the February 15,
2022 meeting of the
transportation Seattle public
utilities committee.
We anticipate our next meeting
will be on Tuesday, March 1. We
are adjourned.
Thank you.