Bumper to Bumper Some drivers see red over light rail's impact on ... Seattle Times, United States But Sound Transit, the agency overseeing light-rail service, has been taking the trains through paces, testing the system. That may be well and good. But Rick Hogan says light rail is already messing with traffic flow in South Seattle. ...

Here in Pugetopolis it's still a matter of faith that growth is unstoppable and the urbanization is the answer to all our prayers. I've written that growth is often the result of national policies (land grants, homesteading, land reclamation, tax incentives, bank deregulation) and as such, it can be steered and controlled. We could, for example, create policies that could help repopulate fading rural areas, such as the proposed New Homestead Act. But U.S. rural areas aren't the only places losing population. Many of the world's cities are also shrinking. That trend is most visible in Europe (new ...

Danny Westneat Tunnel's cost may fool us all Seattle Times, United States Our own Sound Transit light-rail system was not included in the study, but it fits the profile. Its budget soared by more than 100 percent, forcing planners to halve the length of the rail line. The shortened line opens this summer. ...

The conference committee on Senate Bill 5433 are meeting in 25 minutes (3 p.m.) to sign off on the agreement. Public Hearing: Pursuant to Rule 17 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Chief Clerk of the House has called a meeting for the purpose of signing the conference committee report on 2SSB 5433 - Modifying provisions of local option taxes. The following members have been appointed to attend the 4/25/2009 3:00 pm conference committee in the House Rules Room:

Once again, they just don’t get it (read our previous post from April 23rd).

Here’s what the Sound Transit Board says in an email re: the 1-2 minute per person “hearing” they received from potentially impacted taxpayers (homeowners and business owners) at the April 23rd Board Meeting:

“The Sound Transit Board on Thursday:

Heard continuing comments from residents, neighborhoods and businesses on various East Link alignment alternatives, impacts and concerns. The Sound Transit Board will consider the selection of a “Locally Preferred Alternative” route in May as part of the East Link Environmental Impact Statement process that continues into 2010.”

3 minutes has always been limiting enough for public comment, let alone LESS TIME.

In addition, Sound Transit has a rule that a citizen can usually only speak to “action items“- agenda items being decided on THAT DAY- by which time, public comment is not in time to actually influence the decision-makers’ process, or give Board members a chance to ask relevant questions of staff.

Public agencies such as Sound Transit, with a constant tax stream from taxpayers, can and should do far better to respond to and represent their constituents, by actually hearing them for more than 60 seconds, when the issue at hand has already been decided (privately) and is moot..

The Seattle P-I (click here), The Seattle Times (click here) and KING 5 report (click here) that a woman pedestrian was hit by a Sound Transit train on MLK Way. From the Times:

“A woman sustained facial injuries Friday afternoon when she ran into the side of a light rail train in testing service on tracks along Martin Luther King Jr. Way South at South Othello Street in South Seattle.

Sound Transit spokesman Geoff Patrick said the woman, on foot, was running in a crosswalk at the intersection when she ran into the side of the moving northbound train, which had a green light at the intersection, about 4:18 p.m.”

So far, during testing, Sound Transit has had a :

1. Train vs. car-turning-left accident, and a

2. Train vs. pedestrian accident.

KING 5 interviewed kids on the street and their video showed one young man crossing the tracks without watching where the train was.

What will happen when regular operation begins?

Unfortunately, this will likely not be the end of the accidents. Read our previous posts on this safety issue  HERE and   HERE.

A 60-year-old woman suffered minor injuries yesterday when she was struck by a light rail train shortly after 4pm on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Othello Street. It was a little more than a week after the first accident involving a light rail train, in which a driver heading northbound on Martin Luther [...]

Woman sustains injury in light rail accident Seattle Times, United States Sound Transit's Link light rail trains are in testing in preparation for the start of public service in July. Last week, A light rail train and a car collided shortly after 5 pm Wednesday at Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Dawson Street. ...

Light rail train hits pedestrian KING5.com, WA After that incident, Sound Transit issued a warning to the public that light rail testing is expanding. Drivers and pedestrians in the Rainier Valley are warned to watch out for new signals and signage. Light rail will open to the public for free rides ...

Woman struck by light rail in South Seattle Seattle Post Intelligencer A 60-year-old woman was injured Friday when she was struck by a Sound Transit light rail train on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and Othello Street. The Seattle Fire Department reports that the woman suffered minor injuries. ...