(I was unable to complete what I had intended to say during my Bellevue Patch radio interview so am posting it)
I’m a retired
Boeing engineer whose only previous elective office was president of 25
class-of-‘57 seniors in Armstrong, Iowa.
I’m here today to attract listeners to my blog “stopeastlinknow.blogspot.com. It’s my attempt to inform voters about
the devastating effect of the Bellevue City Council’s East Link agreement with
Sound Transit. The council could have used the permitting process and the fact
eastside taxes provide more than enough funds to insist on whatever light rail
route they preferred.
For example they
could have demanded ST tunnel from 1-90 through the city to the Hospital area
as they recently agreed to do with their Northgate extension. Or they could have demanded ST consider
BRT through the city and across I-90 Bridge. Either option would have eliminated the devastation to the
city from construction and subsequent operation of light rail. ST not only refused to even consider
either option, they demanded the council agree to pay for half a tunnel under
downtown area.
The council not
only acceded to this extortion, their recent agreement allows ST to proceed
with plans to spend billions installing a light rail system that will devastate
parts of the city, disrupt commuters throughout the east side, do nothing for
I-405 and I-90 congestion, and increase rather than decrease cross-lake
congestion.
Listeners need to recognize that, for a fraction of light rails
cost, ST could have moved non-transit HOV to 4th lanes on the outer
roadways 15 years ago and initiated BRT service on the center roadway. Its far greater capacity and access
from every east side P&R could have attracted additional transit riders and
reduced congestion throughout the area.
It’s still not to late to do so.
That’s why I’m here today.
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