Wide use of tolls could unclog roads, Seattle study says 4/24/08 By Eric Pryne The Seattle Times Copyright 2008 Widespread tolls could make chronic traffic congestion in Seattle and other cities "a thing of the past," a pioneering study says. Tolls could cut the average late-afternoon commute time from downtown Seattle to Tacoma by perhaps 40 percent. A typical rush-hour drive from Bellevue to Lynnwood could be trimmed by more than one-third, the Puget Sound Regional Council's "Traffic Choic

Republican WA gov candidate unveils transportation plan Seattle Times, United States - Apr 15, 2008 He would, however, combine Sound Transit and other Puget Sound-area transit and road agencies into a new regional board.

A while back, there was much talk about the expansion of Boeing Field, and some fierce opposition to it from the neighborhood back in '99. On a similar note, there was some consternation on the prospect of the Port of Seattle taking over Boeing Field operations, as a part of that Eastside rail-corridor swap deal. So are we out of the woods, as far as airport issues go? An obscure document, produced by the Puget Sound Regional Council provides some clues. In their report of the Regional Freight Element and Action Strategy paper from May, 2006, the ...

Last week, I slogged about a draft bill that Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen was writing up that included this line: "Existing ST entity & its federated board dissolved." The bill is further along now. Haugen is doing a press release later today that will say this:

The proposal includes expanding the existing Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority — commonly known as Sound Transit — into a Regional Transportation Authority. While the new Regional Transportation Authority won’t have expanded boundaries, it would have expanded project eligibility to include both roads and transit, a new governing board that ...

... is, as Josh let slip below (gotta be more careful with those text messages!) Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin. Nothing's official or confirmed yet, but numerous sources say Conlin will take over for his colleague Richard McIver, whose board position expired this year. I've got a call in to Conlin, the former chair of the council's transportation committee and a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council, to see what his priorities will be on the board and whether he'll support putting Sound Transit on the ballot this year or in 2010.

Back in session, at least in theory TheNewsTribune.com (subscription), WA - Jan 13, 2008

That 15-member group would then take over Sound Transit, the RTID, and the transportation and growth planning duties of the Puget Sound Regional Council. ...

Back in session, at least in theory TheNewsTribune.com (subscription), WA - Jan 13, 2008

That 15-member group would then take over Sound Transit, the RTID, and the transportation and growth planning duties of the Puget Sound Regional Council. ...

Who’s watching the henhouse? And giving themselves golden parachutes…

Certainly, there is room for improvement with regard to how limited public funds are spent at the Port of Seattle!

See the article by The Seattle Times on January 8, 2008:

“The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation of the Port of Seattle, following a recent state audit that accused the Port of wasting public money and raised the specter of possible fraud in construction contracts.

State Auditor Brian Sonntag disclosed the investigation Monday, releasing a letter his office had received Friday from U.S. Attorney Jeff Sullivan.”

And yet this is the taxation model that we are expected to be excited about (!?!) while discussing a new regional transportation agency (like the Port or the PSRC) that would be responsible for coordinating all kinds of transit, easing congestion for cars and moving goods?

Please.

Our discussion at RAMP to date has identified TBD as a more flexible alternative to a new RTID and, frankly, one which may not be saddled with baggage due to the failure of the proposal in November. To really be effective, however, ...

No Plan B but plenty of B12 Seattle Times, United States - 18 hours ago

Certainly, the current politically inbred structure of Sound Transit will oppose the most radical changes in its governing body. But change is coming, ...