About this blog

My name is Bill Hirt and I'm a candidate to be a Representative from the 48th district in the Washington State legislature. My candidacy stems from concern the legislature is not properly overseeing the WSDOT and Sound Transit East Link light rail program. I believe East Link will be a disaster for the entire eastside. ST will spend 5-6 billion on a transportation project that will increase, not decrease cross-lake congestion, violates federal environmental laws, devastates a beautiful part of residential Bellevue, creates havoc in Bellevue's central business district, and does absolutely nothing to alleviate congestion on 1-90 and 405. The only winners with East Link are the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington and their labor unions.

This blog is an attempt to get more public awareness of these concerns. Many of the articles are from 3 years of failed efforts to persuade the Bellevue City Council, King County Council, east side legislators, media, and other organizations to stop this debacle. I have no illusions about being elected. My hope is voters from throughout the east side will read of my candidacy and visit this Web site. If they don't find them persuasive I know at least I tried.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

County Executive Candidacy Announcement.


I wrote the following intending to present it during the comment period at the March 23rd Sound Transit Board meeting.   As sort of a last step I checked their agenda and found the following:

The Board will accept public comment on business items on the agenda.

Needless to say “candidate announcement” wasn’t on the agenda so I’m posting it.

 County Executive Candidacy Announcement.

My name is Bill Hirt and I live at 2615 170th SE in Bellevue.  I am here this afternoon in response to plans for Sound Transit CEO Rogoff’s co-hosting a campaign-funding event for County Executive Dow Constantine this evening.  I thought it appropriate that I use this opportunity to announce I also intend to file for the office of County Executive.  My campaign however will not seek nor accept any contributions.   I also have no expectation or desire to win and intend to limit my public appearances.

My candidacy is an attempt to use the voter’s pamphlet to attract attention to my blog http://stopeastlinknow.blogspot.com .  It details the following concerns with Dow Constantine’s Sound Transit leadership.   The first is the vast majority of the $54 billion Sound Transit will use to create a light rail spine will do absolutely nothing to ease congestion on I-5.   That the confiscation of the I-90 bridge center roadway for the East Link portion of the spine will increase, not decrease, congestion on that roadway. 

The second is that ST3 funds should be used to expedite light rail extensions to West Seattle and Ballard.  ST3 was approved because 70% of Seattle voters supported it.  They surely deserve to get some benefits in the next 5-7 years not 20 to 25.


While it’s likely my efforts will fail to stop current plans, my goal is to tell commuters what to expect from Sound Transit and that it didn’t have to happen.

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