Budget Cuts & Safety on Sound Transit’s Light Rail Trains & Stations
In an article on the PNW Local news website, the issue of budget cuts is raised re: police coverage on Sound Transit corridors and unincorporated areas:
“Unincorporated King County will have less law enforcement”
“Citizens in unincorporated areas of northeast King County — including parts of Redmond, Woodinville and Duvall — would be “terribly exposed” to crimes including thefts/burglaries valued under $10,000, bad checks/fraud and regional drug rings because loss of deputies and staff would eliminate most investigations, said (King County Sheriff Sue) Rahr. ”
“We also are Sound Transit and Metro Transit police — we cover 2,000 square miles with that service … and handle homicides, forensics, Homeland Security. … We really are a metropolitan police unit,” Rahr emphasized, countering the notion of a quaint sheriff’s department in a fictional town like Mayberry. “
First of all, it’s completely irresponsible to cut police & security services when the population keeps growing- and what does that mean for cities along a light rail line?
If King County is looking at: “the loss of 21 positions, both commissioned and non-comissioned personnel. King County Executive Ron Sims has called for more reductions in 2009, further slashing up to 70 more jobs in the Sheriff’s Office”, then what happens at light rail stations and on the trains when the inevitable happens- crimes like the typical, numerous assaults in Portland?
Is Sound Transit going to require the cities to pay for security that the light rail line passes through?
Have the cities budgeted for that? Probably not.
Could the cities afford to provide sufficient security to keep their citizens safe? Probably not. Portland isn’t doing a great job of that:
Hire 160 Officers for Light Rail, City Tells TriMet
Crime on the MAX- The Oregonian
North Portland MAX attack renews fear, safety worries
Knife attack on bus raises security concern
71 year-old budgeoned with a bat on Tri-Met
Before the ST2 light rail proposal is voted on in fall 2008, citizens should be assured that what is happening in Portland will NOT HAPPEN here.
Who will take responsibilty for the security budget? Sound Transit? King County Sheriff’s office? We just heard from them that they won’t have the coverage.
Seattle? Bellevue? Redmond?
Housing, Poverty, Crime, and Light Rail
Washington DOT Report on AR is out
No surprises here – AR delivers – it is simply better technology ! WSDOT have reported the results of their quiet pavement program tests thus far for Lynnwood (I-5) , 2006 and SR 520 E of 84th to 102nd) , 2007 and the facts speak ...
Details: King County Sheriff’s budget warning (and jail talk) - West Seattle Blog
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Take a ride on this scenic route before it’s gone - TheNewsTribune.com
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Committee Meeting: May 15th, 7:00pm
Rubberized Asphalt can Improve Air Quality
Why is Avondale so Loud?
Another Puget Sound Neighborhood Requests Rubberized Asphalt
Once again, citizen advocates in the Puget Sound region are leading the government in terms of noise mitigation near heavily utilized roads & freeways.
In an article titled: “Neighbors Want Noisy Road Paved“, the Seattle Times reports that citizens have formed a new group called Citizens for a Quieter Avondale.
They will hold a public meeting with officials from King County on Tuesday.
Attend to learn about the benefits of using “quiet pavement” (aka asphalt rubber), and help to advocate for its use in Washington (one safety benefit is its ability to provide superior skid-resistance).
The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Woodinville Water District Building, 17238 N.E. Woodinville-Duvall Road.
