R8A adds HOV lanes to the outer roadway. PERIOD. How does Sound Transit picking up 2/3rds of the cost equate to financial malfeasance or actually following through with promised funding undermine credibility?

Due to funding limitations the project will be implemented in stages. Each stage of the project provides viable and independent transit and transportation benefits that can be funded and constructed as financing becomes available.

From what I see reading the latest amended house transportation budget there is only $4.6M allocated to design (stages 2 and 3) and construction for stage 2 [page 47, section (27]. Half a million of that is earmarked for study of rail feasibility. The real question is will there be enough money to keep on schedule for the next two years? I don’t know if anybody really knows that for sure [((and $4,908,000)), $2,611,000 makes it appear there was a $2.3M cut]. One thing is for sure and that is that studying rail is a complete waste if there isn’t sufficient funding to complete R8A.

Now is not the time to be doing yet another feasibility study ** . Now is the time to pour concrete while construction bids are coming in 20-30% below engineering estimates. R8A has value even if the center roadway isn’t converted to rail. The only thing that really matters at this point is the final engineering of the rail on the bridge. This is completely on ST’s nickel. If the legislature wants to come back in 3-4 years and commission a design review by WSDOT of the plans that might make sense. Until then, just build the damn road!

** It’s hard to know if the $550,000 in the budget is money already spent on the studies that have been done. There are a number of items in the bill (like stage 1) which are already complete. Making this more confusing is that in the LEAP document referenced it appears there is no funding for R8A at all. Any certified bean counters in the house? I sure can’t find the $10M in this biennium Rep. Clibborn speaks of in the above comment.

Am I missing something here or is she simply committing to a 2014 completion date?

“The R8A ramp will be built by 2014 and my budget includes $10 million this biennium for preliminary engineering that’s needed to meet the 2014 completion date. We also need to ascertain the value of the center lanes that Sound Transit will take over. This bridge was built with federal funds, and the federal government requires us to get a fair value for these lanes. Some have suggested the lanes are not worth any money, while others have suggested they’re worth $2.8 billion. It’s going to be somewhere in between, and I think the answer will be much closer to the lower end of the range. The study will give us the answer to this question. Once we know the value of the center lanes, we will be able to negotiate a final agreement to turn them over to Sound Transit to put light rail across the I-90 bridge.”

-Ryan

I pushed back on the assessment as needless delay, but I think overall Senator Kohl-Welles is with us on this.

-Ryan

Hey folks,

Keep your emails and calls to legislators coming and don’t let up!! It’s very important that you stay engaged in this process as the sausage-making of the next few days and week(s) moves forward. A group of hard-core, pro-transit legislators is doing all we can but you’re the juice that keeps us rocking as we try and find a solution among the various parties.

Your partner in service,

Reuven Carlyle
State Representative
36th Legislative District–the heart, soul, passion and spirit of Seattle