The City of Des Moines will be holding an Open House to discuss the historic SR-509 right-of-way (ROW) land request to the Washington State Department of Transportation on Wednesday, March 24th from 5pm – 7pm at the Des Moines Activity Center.

Visitors will be able to review maps of the proposed road extension of 16th Avenue South, along with potential storm water facilities, and Barnes Creek Trail, parts of which could be eliminated if the city does not acquire this property.

Barnes Creek Trail … “is in the historic 509 ROW, which WSDOT is trying to surplus because the alignment of 509 has been moved,” said Amy Swartz, Civil Engineer for the city. “The Barnes Creek corridor is mostly critical area and building a road through there is not optimal. It’s possible that parts of the trail could be eliminated if the City is not successful in acquiring this property. By having strong support from the community, it may help the City acquire this property from WSDOT.”

So if you care about this area, you might want to attend this meeting.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Open House to discuss SR-509 right-of-way land request to Washington DOT

WHEN: Wednesday, March 24 from 5pm – 7pm

WHERE: Des Moines Activity Center, located at 2045 South 216th Street

INFO: From the city’s website:

Please join the City of Des Moines to discuss the historic SR 509 right-of-way land request to WSDOT.  See maps of the proposed road extension of 16th Avenue South, potential storm water facilities, and Barnes Creek Trail.

If you have any ideas about using a trail between Kent-Des Moines Road and South 216th Street, historical stories or pictures of the land before it was acquired for SR 509 right-of-way use, please share them with us.

In April 2009 the City of Des Moines requested the transfer of portions of the historic State Route (SR) 509 right-of-way in Des Moines from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).  Since the current design and plans for the State Route 509 project do not utilize this historic corridor, WSDOT has no plans to improve this unopened right-of-way, and this isolated segment of the corridor has no strategic value to the State as a roadway.  The City of Des Moines is requesting that portions of this right-of-way be turned back to the local jurisdiction to be used for road and transportation purposes, while protecting critical areas within this corridor.

Parts of Barnes Creek Trail could be eliminated if the City is not successful in acquiring this property.

A study of the SR 509 right-of-way was conducted in 2009 entitled: Highest and Best Use Analysis of Historic SR 509 Corridor.  It was determined that the historic SR 509 right-of-way is an isolated section of undeveloped and unopened State right-of-way that has limited use, if any, as part of the regional SR 509 facility.  Current WSDOT plans for the SR 509 Project do not include this segment of historic right-of-way.  Of the 43.42 acres of right-of-way, approximately 50% is designated as critical area.  Therefore, there is no opportunity to design or construct a road through the length of the corridor because of the amount of critical area and other environmental constraints.

Within the three segments of the historic right-of-way study (see Illustrations 1-4), only Segment 1 could be improved to include right-of-way for a future street connection between South 216th and South 220th Streets.  The extension of 16th Avenue South is an improvement identified in the City’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan including sidewalks and bicycle lanes.  Likewise, South 218th Street is planned to be extended to connect with 16th Avenue South.  Right-of-way for other roadway related improvements could include potential wetland and storm drainage facilities needed to support the City’s Transportation Gateway Project, including widening of South 216th Street.

A north-south regional trail linking the Des Moines Creek Trail to Kent Des Moines Road and points south is also included in the City’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan.  Right-of-way for a multipurpose trail was requested along the entire length of the historic right-of-way.  The City will be identifying existing trails as well as potential trail footprints.  While short segments of a trail have been historically used, these trails are on property that WSDOT would like to surplus.   Eventually, a continuous trail will be an important north-south non-motorized transportation link to such activity centers such as the Post Office, the Des Moines Activity Center, the Steven J. Underwood Park and other existing and future employment centers in the City.

The intent of this request is to transfer or secure the necessary right-of-way for future use by the City before it is surplused by the State of Washington.  WSDOT has agreed to hold off on the surplus pending receipt of the City’s formal application(s) scheduled to be submitted in June 2010.  It is anticipated that much of the right-of-way will be transferred to the City for roadway purposes.

Right-of-way required for trail improvements may be subject to fee or leasehold agreements and given revenue constraints, the City may have to rely on outside resources to secure this right-of-way.  Actual improvements would be the subject of a more detailed environmental study, engineering, permitting and construction as funds become available.

For more information visit the City’s website at www.desmoineswa.gov/509 or call Amy Swartz at (206) 870-6592 or email aswartz@desmoineswa.gov.

In the continuing saga of STITA vs the Port of Seattle, on Monday (Feb. 22nd), the Washington state Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the cab company by granting a temporary injunction against the Port of Seattle’s planned contract with Yellow Cab/Puget Sound Dispatch.

This means the Port cannot sign the planned contract “until further order of the Court” (click here to download/read the order as a PDF file), which could happen in April.

STITA’s request to expedite the appeal was granted by Commissioner Mary Neel. The Commissioner’s order states that this case will be heard by a three-judge panel “toward the end of the April 2010 term,” meaning that this ongoing SeaTac soap opera is far from over.

Members of STITA, who filed the original lawsuit against the Port of Seattle on Jan. 29, were obviously pleased with the decision.

“We are thrilled that the court stopped the Port from proceeding with an illegal contract,” said Jesse Buttar, a STITA member and spokesperson. “We’ve only ever asked for a fair process and a legal contract and now we hope the Port has finally listened and will re-do its flawed bidding process.”

Here’s more info from STITA’s press release, issued late Monday afternoon:

STITA, a non-profit co-op with one of the greenest cab fleet in the country, was created in 1989 by the Port of Seattle to exclusively serve the airport and provide reliable service to airport users. Now, after an unfair proposal process, STITA and its approximately 450 members and drivers will essentially be put out of business. They have the airport contract through August 2010.

STITA’s lawsuit claims that the Port’s bidding process violated state law by requiring bidders to commit to pay an unfair concession fee of at least 10 percent of their airport-based revenues to the Port. This revenue system violates the Airports Act, which says airport concession fees must be based upon the actual cost of operations and be reasonable and uniform. Previously, the Port had charged a per-trip fee to taxis based on the airport’s actual cost of services provided to the cabbies.

Additionally, the lawsuit contends that the Port’s new concession fees violate the King County Code and takes away from the King County Council’s authority to set “just and reasonable” taxi meter rates.

Despite protests from STITA to the Port about these glaring problems with the process and the proposed contract, the Port has so far declined to re-do its flawed contract bid.

A second lawsuit against the Port and Yellow Cab by Farwest Taxi was filed on Feb. 12.

Read our previous coverage of this ongoing legal battle here.

As the owner of Shuttle Express, a provider of passenger service at Sea-Tac International Airport, I have been following the Port of Seattle’s recent decision to replace STITA (Sea-Tac International Taxi Association) with Yellow Cab. How could the Port make such a poor decision and why? Even though I compete with the taxis, I feel the need to speak up. When there is such an injustice to the traveling public, questions need to be asked.

Working at Sea-Tac for 35 years, I have firsthand knowledge of airport operations and STITA Taxi. Knowing STITA’s reputation, I thought they would surely be chosen for the new contract for the taxi concession. I was astonished to hear the Port’s decision. The structure of the RFP caused a bidding war, and the Port plans to award the contract to the highest bidder, Yellow Cab. How could they base their decision purely on money and not reputation and quality of service?

Shuttle Express and STITA operate within a few feet of each other so I know their operations and service level. STITA taxi owners maintain their vehicles and have invested in a green fleet, all while making a living wage. And, STITA provides good service, much better than any other taxi service in Seattle.

As a competitor, it would be to my advantage to say nothing and compete against a lesser provider. But I can’t watch this play out without saying something about the Port’s injustice to STITA, and more importantly to you, the traveling public. I have no issue with the Port opening the concession to competitive bid, but its selection based on who will pay the most money rather than service and safety is wrong.

Jim Sherrell is the Owner of Shuttle Express.

More money for the Port may sound good, but in reality the over-inflated fees that Yellow agreed to pay the Port are way off base. There is no way Yellow can use the minuscule taxi fees to fund reservations, dispatch, accounting, marketing, safe vehicles, insurance, advertising AND also pay the Port an exorbitant fee to use the taxi curb. What expenses will the Yellow taxi drivers have to cut to still be able to put bread on the table? Will you feel safe when you climb into that taxi knowing they cannot meet their financial obligations and still make a living?

So why would the Port prioritize getting more money above safety, service and other important factors? What seems obvious is the Port wants more money. Who is eventually going to pay the Port more money? Sure, first it will be the poor taxi drivers. Next, the taxi drivers will ask regulators to allow increased fees. In the end, YOU, the traveling public will be paying the difference with higher taxi fares.

Now ask yourself, is the Port operating in the interest of the traveling public, or is it merely trying to squeeze more money from taxi drivers and you, the passengers?

Will the publicly elected Port of Seattle Commissioners recognize this flawed RFP bid for what it is and correct this radical mistake? My experience during the last thirty-plus years tells me that when the Port Commissioners know the facts and hear from their voters, they will make the correct decision to award the RFP fairly, based on service and safety for the traveling public rather than strictly money from fees.

It’s up to you, the traveling public, to let the Commissioners know your feelings on the issue to have it corrected: www.portseattle.org.

- Jim Sherrell
Owner, Shuttle Express

(Jim Sherrell is the owner of Shuttle Express, serving the Seattle region since 1979)

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The Port of Seattle is apparently being sued by a second taxi company – this time by Rainier Dispatch (aka Farwest Taxi) for ignoring collusion.

This is the latest twist in an ongoing legal war against the embattled Port of Seattle, and Rainier/Farwest is now the second taxi company to claim the Port’s process for selecting a new on-demand airport taxi contract is illegal (as we’ve covered previously, the first was STITA).

According to a press release we received Tuesday, Feb. 16th:

Farwest Taxi filed a lawsuit last Friday (Feb. 12th) in King County Superior Court against the Port of Seattle and Yellow Cab, its former partner in a joint bid for the airport contract. The lawsuit claims the Port’s proposal process was illegal. The lawsuit says lobbyist Chris Van Dyk drafted the bid for Yellow Cab, the winning bidder for the on-demand airport contract. Then he turned around and used that insider information to draft a less competitive proposal by the No. 2 bidder, a joint venture between Yellow, Farwest and Orange Cab.

“The Port of Seattle and Yellow Cab should be ashamed of this whole process,” said Gurcharan Dhaliwal, president of Rainier Dispatch. “Yellow Cab and Chris Van Dyk took our bid information and used it to make sure they came out on top, and the Port looked the other way.”

According to the lawsuit, Van Dyk knew trade secrets of the two other bidders in the joint venture, and used that proprietary intellectual property to ensure Yellow Cab submitted the top bid. In addition, in its legal filing, Farwest says it explicitly told Yellow representatives that it did not want anyone who drafted the joint venture proposal to also draft a proposal for any of the three individual members. They said they were assured that would be the case.

The Port’s own RFP states: “One or all responses will be rejected if there is reason for believing that collusion exists among Proposers, and no participant in such collusion will be considered in future proposals for concessions at the Airport.” [RFP, 13.4.1, p. 6]

This latest lawsuit follows on the heels of a well-publicized lawsuit filed by the Seattle-Tacoma International Taxi Association (STITA) on Jan. 29. STITA, which has the exclusive taxicab contract at Sea-Tac Airport through August 2010.

Like STITA’s lawsuit, Farwest Taxi’s lawsuit requests a court order barring the Port of Seattle from officially signing a contract with Yellow Cab. It also seeks an order disqualifying Yellow Cab from future re-bids of the airport contract.

STITA members were encouraged that another taxi company – even one of their competitors – saw the same foul play and are now suing the Port and Yellow Cab.

“Here is yet another reason for the Port to hold off on signing the illegal contract with Yellow Cab,” said Jesse Buttar, a spokesperson for STITA. “We hope the Port takes the opportunity to go back and review this whole process. This illegal process directly affects the 450 families who make up STITA. We just want a fair shot at the airport contract.”

A copy of this lawsuit can be downloaded here (as a PDF file).

In a fast-paced legal tennis match, after briefly having its restraining order denied, a State Court of Appeals Commissioner issued a stay late Monday in STITA Cab’s lawsuit against the Port of Seattle.

This means that, pending any other legal maneuvering, the Port will not be able to sign a contract with Yellow Cab.

Earlier Monday, King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez denied a restraining order filed by STITA to block the Port from signing the contract with Yellow Cab.

The contract for on-demand taxi service at Sea-Tac airport won’t be awarded until the court determines if the Port acted illegally. Judge Gonzalez heard STITA’s case Feb. 4th, and issued his decision Monday afternoon.

After Gonzalez’ initial ruling, STITA immediately took the case to the State Court of Appeals, which agreed to issue a stay – meaning the Port cannot sign with Yellow Cab until the legal issues are resolved.

The commissioner is expected to consider the merits of the case this week.

“We’re thrilled with this late-breaking win,” said Jesse Buttar, STITA cab owner. “We know we have a case. We just want a fair shot at the airport contract.”

On Jan. 29, STITA filed a complaint asking the court to halt the Port from signing a contract that violates state law. STITA seeks a fair and legal proposal process in which all bidders can compete on a level playing field.

In its lawsuit, STITA contends the Port’s bidding process violated the state Airports Act because the Port discontinued its prior practice of charging fees to taxicabs based on the airport’s actual cost of services provided to the cabbies. Instead, it required bidders to commit to pay an unfair concession fee of at least 10 percent of their airport-based revenues. This violates the Airports Act, which says airport concession fees must be based upon the Airport’s actual cost of operations and be reasonable and uniform.

STITA contends the Port’s bidding process caused a predatory bidding war among taxi companies which not only was illegal but will be financially devastating to the King County taxi industry.

STITA’s lawsuit also contends that the Port’s new concession fee violates the King County Code, which requires the King County Council to set the taxi meter rate at a level that is “just and reasonable.” The Port’s new concession fee cuts directly into the county’s taxi meter rate and prevents cab operators from receiving the gross receipts that they legally are entitled to receive.

The exclusive taxicab contract was held by STITA for 20 years in a no-bid deal.  After a harsh rebuke from the State Auditor over its contracting processes, the Port of Seattle issued a “Request for Proposal,” or RFP, for the first time last fall.

Yellow Cab won the award with a bid of $18.3 million, which is $8 million greater than the bid STITA submitted. Yellow Cab was named a defendant in the lawsuit, along with the Port of Seattle and other taxi associations.

In issuing his denial, Judge Gonzales noted that the RFP allowed for prospective bidders to file complaints, or injunctions, to any portion of the RFP document; Gonzales said, “The Plaintiff had the opportunity to file a complaint during the process, and they did not. They only complained when they did not win the bid.”

Stay tuned folks, because this legal match is far from over.

The Port of Seattle Commission released a draft of its memorandum of agreement (download PDF here) with the State of Washington Monday (Feb. 1st) detailing its contribution to the proposed bored tunnel project that would replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Public testimony and comment are being sought by the commission prior to their vote.

The memorandum spells out the port’s intent to make an investment in this program, which is not to exceed $300 million during construction of the Viaduct Replacement Program. The port’s contribution will be linked to improvements that promote freight mobility and access to port facilities. Freight, cruise, agriculture, daily commuters and neighborhoods depend on this vital traffic corridor every day, and the corridor is essential to our regional economy.

The port commission is asking for your input before they make a decision on the MOA. There are several ways in which you can comment over the next two weeks:

• E-mail comments to Viaduct MOA Comments: viaduct@portseattle.org
• Mail comments must be received by close of business Monday, February 8, to:

Viaduct MOA Comments
Attn: Christine Lee, Regional Transportation
PO Box 1209
Seattle, WA 98111

Public testimony can be provided at two upcoming Commission meetings:

• Tuesday, Feb. 2nd, 1:00 p.m., (MOA item will come up around 2:30p.m.) at Aviation High School, 615 South 200th St. in Des Moines
• Tuesday, Feb. 9th, 1:00 p.m., Port Headquarters, Pier 69, 2711 Alaskan Way in Seattle
  

The commission is expected to make a decision on the MOA, following public comments, at their February 9th meeting.

King County Councilmember Julia Patterson donated a “retired” eight-passenger van to Sea Mar Community Health Centers Wednesday (Jan. 20th), in an effort to help South King County’s growing Latino community.

There are 50 non-profit, community Sea Mar locations in King County, with a recovery center in Des Moines and two in both Burien and White Center.

Patterson was greeted by a crowd of grateful volunteers and staff who were eager to take a look inside the shiny, blue, van and welcome her to Sea Mar (see pic below).

“I am very touched by the work of Sea Mar Community Health Centers and their commitment to providing quality, comprehensive care to individuals and families across King County,” said Councilmember Patterson. “Their Des Moines location serves an incredibly diverse, low-income population, which will benefit greatly from having this new mode of transportation to and from much-needed medical and dental appointments.”

Sea Mar Community Health Centers was established in 1978 with a single medical clinic serving Seattle’s South Park neighborhood. Today, Sea Mar, a private, non-profit community health center, operates nearly 50 medical, dental and behavioral health clinics and centers in 10 western Washington counties. Sea Mar is committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive health and human services to diverse communities, including low income, underserved and uninsured populations. Sea Mar specializes in services to Latinos and is an innovative leader in the delivery of bilingual and culturally appropriate healthcare and social services. For more information, visit Sea Mar’s website here.

”We are pleased that the County has selected our inpatient, long-term treatment program as a beneficiary of its van distribution program,” said Rogelio Riojas, Sea Mar’s Chief Executive Officer. “We intend to make the van available to any resident or person who comes to the treatment center for care and services. It will be a great resource for our program.”

Since 1995, the King County Council has donated vans to nonprofit groups to help meet the transportation needs of low-income, elderly, youth, or people with disabilities in King County. The vans are part of a fleet of county vehicles that have been ‘retired’ after accruing a certain number of miles. This is the eighth year that each member of the council has been able to donate vans.

The vans were donated through an annual application process.

For more information about applying for a van, contact Councilmember Patterson’s Office at (206) 296-1005.

On Saturday morning (Dec. 19th) at 10am, Sound Transit opened its Link light rail service to SeaTac with lots of ceremony, local dignitaries, curious passengers, and of course, functioning trains that now link the airport to downtown Seattle.

The first 14 miles of light rail opened from downtown Seattle to Tukwila in July. This final segment from Tukwila to SeaTac / Airport Station, built under a close partnership with the Port of Seattle, connects the airport from downtown with 13 stops serving the SeaTac, Tukwila, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, SODO to the final stop at Westlake.

“It’s been a heck of a journey, but we delivered on what we promised: light rail from downtown Seattle to the airport in 2009,” said Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels. “This opens an entirely new option for travelers and commuters, and represents the first steps of a truly regional network.”

Service on the 1.7-mile extension line kicked off with an inaugural ribbon cutting at the SeaTac / Airport Station before the station and trains opened for regular passenger service at 10am, and Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

“Opening the doors to Sound Transit’s airport line in time for the holidays is great gift to residents of the Puget Sound region,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. “This new line will provide fast and easy connections to downtown Seattle and a low-cost way to get around. This is just the latest in environmentally friendly transportation that will help ensure our region’s long-term economic growth.”

Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle collaborated on the Airport Link project which included the new light rail station, pedestrian bridges connecting the station to the airport parking garage and a pick-up and drop-off area to the east serving the city of SeaTac. The Port also relocated and upgraded the Airport Expressway and the Return-to-Terminal roadway loop.

“With more than 30 million passengers through Sea-Tac every year, and 15,000 airport employees, we anticipate light rail will be a welcome “green” alternative for travel to and from the airport,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Using light rail will reduce air emissions and traffic congestion. It’s good for the airport and it’s good for our region.”

The next light rail extension is scheduled to open in 2016 with service from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington. Construction is underway on that segment while Sound Transit plans for 36 more miles of light rail extensions to Lynnwood, Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island and Federal Way by 2023.

Link’s normal Saturday schedule will be from 5 a.m. – 1 a.m. with regular fares required. On weekdays, the first train from the airport to downtown will depart at 5:16 a.m. and the last one to downtown will leave at 12:07 a.m. The last train to Mt. Baker Station in the Rainier Valley departs at 12:46 a.m.

More detailed schedule and fare information is here: http://www.soundtransit.org/x11204.xml.

Brown Bear Car Wash is offering FREE “Bear Essentials” car washes this Friday, Sept. 25th from 8am to 7pm at their recently-remodeled facility at 22706 Marine View Drive South.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Free Bear Essentials Carwash

WHEN: Friday from 8am-7pm

WHERE: Brown Bear Carwash, located at 22706 Marine View Drive South, Des Moines, 206-878-8611

NOTE: This offer is valid for the Des Moines Location ONLY.

Painting crews were out Monday morning (Sept. 21st) at Sea-Tac Airport, to paint the 60-foot designator markings on the end of the longest runway as the Port of Seattle prepares to reopen it after a summer-long reconstruction.

The painting is part of the finishing touches on the project which is scheduled to reopen by the end of this month.

Photographer Francis Zera was there and shot these photos:

Click to View Francis Zera’s Photo Slideshow

Here’s some info on the runway from the Port of Seattle:

The original runway was built in 1944 and was extended several times to reach the current size of 11,901 feet. The reconstruction project completes a comprehensive rebuilding of the entire runway – from runway lights to the concrete pavement itself. The new 20-inch thick runway, and adjoining taxiways, required 120,000 cubic yards of concrete. In comparison, 65,000 cubic yards of concrete was used for the Third Runway [only 8,500 feet long and 17-inches thick].

Located at each end of the runway for identification by approaching aircraft, runway markings will read 16L on the north end and 34R on the south end. Numbers are determined by the compass location of the runways and their alignment with the two other runways (right, center, and left).

by Brenda Anders-Larson

Operating in Des Moines since 1981, Brown Bear Car Wash closed their doors this past June to undergo substantial renovations, and finally will be re-opening next week.

The site will have all new state-of-the-art equipment. The building interior and much of the exterior has been renovated. I am told by Lance Odermat, Vice President, General Counsel, Car Wash Enterprises, Inc. that the “wash quality will be superb – no corners were cut.”

Brown Bear had planned to reopen in early July; “However, permitting complexities with the city caused significant delay.” Odermat went on to say that “permitting complexities had nothing to do with our decision to pull fuel.” He also commented that “As a company, our primary focus is on car washing. The retail sale of gasoline is becoming less and less profitable. In many cases, it struggles to be even a break-even proposition. This is due to costly regulatory requirements and burdensome transaction fees charged by Visa and MasterCard.”

Tony Piasecki, City Manager for the City of Des Moines tells me “We are excited about the remodel and look forward to having the car wash back up and running soon. As with any project, there were permitting details to work out but our Building Division, headed by Building Official Larry Pickard, did a great job helping Mr. Odermat and his team sort them out.”

In addition to the upgrades, Des Moines Brown Bear Car Wash is lowering their prices. The basic wash price will be only $5. Customers will benefit from a state-of-the-art car wash at an affordable price.

Brown Bear has been in business since 1957 with its first car wash in Ballard, which is still in operation today. They have 40 different car wash facilities throughout the area. They are continually remodeling and expanding. Next year look for a new Brown Bear on Bainbridge Island. According to their website, www.brownbear.com, environmental responsibility is high on their priority list. They “separate road pollutants including oils, heavy metals and antifreeze from the car wash wastewater we discharge. Once we’ve removed many of the toxic substances from the water we use wastewater is then released into the sewer treatment system, and not storm water systems, for further cleaning.”

Story by Ralph Nichols
Photos & Video by Oran Viriyincy

With Sound Transit’s Link light rail trains running at last between Tukwila and downtown Seattle, it was time to experience this new commuter option. So with my girlfriend, I boarded a train for a round trip from the South 154th Street station late on a busy Seafair Saturday afternoon.

With lots happening downtown, we weren’t surprised to find the station’s main parking lot full. (Tukwila has Link’s only free park-and-ride lot, like those at several Metro bus stops around King County, although there is private paid parking near the Beacon Hill station.) But there were a number of empty spaces at the overflow parking lot across the street.

Five minutes after parking, we bought our tickets – $5 per person for the round trip – and one minute later boarded a train that had just come in. With trains running from Tukwila every 10 minutes at that hour, this gave us 9 minutes to look around on the inside before our journey north.

Each $4 million electric-powered car, with electricity from overhead wires, is 95 feet long – three times longer than one of Metro’s articulated buses. Each car can seat 74 passengers and accommodate a total of 200 riders with standing room only, and each train consists of two cars. The trains travel at a maximum speed of 55 mph on the elevated track near Tukwila and at 35 mph on the ground.

The train doors closed – rather quickly it seemed – at 5:50 p.m. Soon it pulled out of the station, right on time. Less than half a mile down the track, we agreed the ride was not as smooth as expected; still, the vibration isn’t bad at all. And the train moves along at a steady clip without delays for vehicles when streets intersect with the tracks.

Station stops took far less time than I expected. Passengers got on and off with ease and without delay, and we moved right along. Here is how our station stops went:

5:59 p.m. – Arrived at the Rainier Beach station.

6:00 – Depart.

6:02 – Othello station.

6:03 – Depart.

6:06 – Columbia City station.

6:07 – Depart.

6.10 – Mount Baker station.

6:10 – Depart … and head into the tunnel under Beacon Hill.

6:12 – Beacon Hill (tunnel) station.

6:13 – Depart … and back into daylight.

6:15 – SODO station.

6:15 – Depart.

6:17 – Stadium station.

6:18 – Depart … and enter the downtown bus tunnel.

6:20 – International District/Chinatown station.

6:21 – Depart.

6:23 – Pioneer Square station.

6:23 – Depart.

6:24 – University Street station.

6:25 – Depart.

6:26 – Westlake station, the end of the line.

Twenty-six minutes from Tukwila to midtown Seattle via the Rainier Valley. Not bad.

When we left Tukwila, there were about 12 riders in our car including us. Picking up more riders at most stations along the route (none at a couple), usually ranging from an additional 6 to 12 at each stop, our car was almost full of seated riders by the time we reached Westlake. No one had to stand. As we stepped off the train, it looked like its other car had carried about the same number.

Getting from the train to street level – at Pine Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues just below Nordstrom – is easy, as is returning to the train, which we did about an hour later. On the return trip, which took the same time, only 16 people were riding in both cars and only 8 beyond the Mount Baker station. It is logical to assume, given the number of cars still in the parking lot when we got back to Tukwila, that southbound ridership was much higher after events wrapped up downtown and people headed home.

Above ground, the view from a train car ranges from interesting, even scenic, along the elevated track north of the Tukwila station to very drab through part of Rainier Valley not far up the line.

A trip on Link light rail is comparable to a ride on Portland’s MAX, although a good stretch of that line parallels Interstate 84 – the major highway into that city – rather than winding through nearby neighborhoods along the way.

Sound Transit has reported that Link light rail carried an average of 12,000 riders per weekday in its first five days of regular paid service, and 16,900 riders on July 25 and 15,100 on July 26 during the first big Seafair weekend, when both the Mariners and Sounders also were in town.

With service on to Sea-Tac International Airport scheduled to begin in December, Sound Transit projects 26,600 one-way trips daily (13,300 round trips) along its 16-mile light-rail route by the end of 2010. The current trip from Tukwila to Seattle is 14 miles.

A footnote about our trip: While the actual travel time from Tukwila to Westlake was a reasonable 26 minutes, it took another 9 minutes to drive from my home and park, then another 14 minutes to get into the station, buy tickets, board a train and wait for it to depart. Riders who take light rail from other stations must walk, ride a bicycle or take a bus to get there since they have no park and ride lots.

Convenience, including time and destination, may be the determining factor for riding light rail for many commuters. I might take light rail from Tukwila to a Mariners game or dinner in the International District, but would not do so from, say, Columbia City due to lack of parking. At the same time, I probably would drive to SODO to shop or the Othello community to go to the park.

Regardless, once you’re moving on a light rail train, it’s a comfortable trip in good time to your stop. Still, at $2.3 billion for this line, it’s one expensive commute for the convenience it affords.

If you haven’t yet ridden Link light rail, here’s a video by Oran Viriyincy:

This section, approaching Tukwila Intl. Blvd., has the steepest grade in the system. You can hear the motors as the train climbs.

So…have YOU ridden Link light rail yet? Please take our poll or Comment below…

The City of Des Moines has released the list of road closures (download PDF file here) for Saturday’s 50th Birthday/Waterland Parade, and here’s the scoop:

50th Anniversary Parade – NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE
Saturday, July 18, 2009 – 3:30PM to 8:00PM:

Marine View Drive South and South 240th Street in Des Moines will be closed on Saturday, July 18, from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., for the Waterland Grand Parade – a Seafair event celebrating the city’s 50th anniversary.

The street closures will be on Marine View Drive from South 216th Street to South 240th Street, and on South 240th Street from Marine View Drive to 16th Avenue South.

Traffic will be detoured on 16th Avenue South, Kent-Des Moines Road, and 24th Avenue South.

For more information, contact City of Des Moines Public Works at 206-870-6522.

The City of Des Moines’ Senior Services is sponsoring a free shuttle service for seniors over 55 to the Farmers Market on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month between 9:30am and 2:30pm.

Residents must live in Des Moines or Normandy Park, and you must call (206) 878-1642 before 4pm on the Wednesday before to schedule a pick-up.

Donations are welcome, but not required.

Thursday, June 18th is National “Dump The Pump” day, an annual event sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association to raise awareness of the benefits of public transit.

Everyone is concerned about saving money and cutting down on expenses these days. And as local gas prices again begin to creep up to $3 a gallon, one of the easiest ways to keep more money in your wallet is to park your car at home and hop on public transportation.

Once again this year, the region’s transportation agencies are urging residents to ride a bus, train, boat, bike, take a walk, or share the ride this Thursday.

National Dump the Pump Day encourages people to ride public transportation to save money, protect the environment, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and improve our quality of life. APTA’s monthly Transit Savings Report consistently ranks the Seattle metropolitan area as one of the top ten regions for potential transit savings.

Community Transit, Everett Transit, Intercity Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and the WSDOT Ferries Division (Washington State Ferries) are joining agencies across the country to ask those who’ve never tried public transportation to get on board with saving and take a new ride on Thursday. Regular transit users are encouraged to make it a “zero drive” day, and only use transit.

“Puget Sound residents have so many great alternatives to driving—buses, streetcars, vanpools, trains, the iconic ferries, and in less than a month we’ll be adding 16 miles of light rail to that long list,” said Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl.

The agencies in the Puget Sound region share a common goal of offering safe, reliable, and low-cost transportation choices. Yet, each offers a unique array services that interconnect with other agencies to create a very useable transportation network for the region.

Some are hosting special activities for Dump the Pump Day, and others are featuring regular services that can help you save money every day.

King County Metro Transit:
Dump the Pump Day also coincides with the start of summer, and King County Metro Transit wants people who are “staycationing” close to home this year to see how much farther their vacation/holiday dollars stretch when they travel by bus.

In addition to bus routes serving the big-city attractions in Seattle and Bellevue, Metro also has regular service to parks, beaches, malls, movie theaters, ball parks, and hiking trails. There are discounted fares for children and families to help make summertime fun more affordable.

Sound Transit:
Sound Transit, the regional provider of commuter rail and express bus service, has been calculating savings to help its customers “ride out the recession.” Riders have responded by sending in their personal savings stories. Here’s one:

“I live in Queen Anne and work for a non-profit in Redmond, about a 40 mile commute round trip each day. Last year, my employer purchased bus passes for employees and sold them to us for $30. Once I started taking the bus to work, I went from spending about $150 – $200 a month in gas to now about $30. I take the bus more than just to work now; I hardly ever even drive my car at all anymore.”

Sound Transit offers commuters throughout the region several ways to dump the pump to save money and help the environment. Sound Transit operates regional express bus service, Sounder commuter rail service, light rail in Tacoma, and on July 18, Central Link light rail line will launch service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila.

In the Puget Sound region, eight public transportation agencies carry more than 500,000 passengers every weekday and serve a population of more than 3.8 million in the five-county area.?c

On Tuesday, June 9th, Sea-Tac Airport will close its Cell Phone Waiting Lot for about a month in order to replace it with a location nearly double in size.

The new location, just north on Air Cargo Road, will create nearly 100 spaces for vehicles, doubling the size of the current lot. It is expected to open in early July.

The closure will allow the modification of the new lot with barriers, striping and signage.

The Cell Phone Waiting Lot is a free service from The Port of Seattle that allows drivers to wait up to 30 minutes in the lot until arriving passengers have deplaned, collected luggage and called to be picked up outside of Baggage Claim. Drivers must stay with their vehicles.

Please be aware there is no parking or waiting allowed on the airport roadway shoulders at any time.

The alternative for drivers who normally use the Cell Phone Lot is to use the Hourly Parking at the Terminal Main Garage, which charges $2 for 30 minutes.

For more information on Sea-Tac Airport’s parking options, visit their website here.

Des Moines’ Transportation Gateway Project is the focus of an informational open house Tuesday, June 2nd, from 5pm to 7:30pm in the city’s Senior Activities Center at 2045 S. 216th Street.

This is the second open house on the project allowing the city Public Works Department staff to present alternative plans for improvements to two major arterials – 24th Avenue South from South 208th Street to South 216th Street, and South 216th Street from Interstate 5 to 20th Avenue South.

These improvements will involve widening approximately 1.3 miles of the arterials to five or six lanes, including the addition of travel and turn lanes; building curbs and gutters, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes; and installing traffic signals, drainage, and planter strips.

The open house will give members of the public an opportunity to meet one on one with city staff and provide an opportunity to respond to questions by presenting the results of recent aerial survey work, alternative alignments and how the project might best fit into the surrounding community.

For more information, visit www.desmoineswa.gov/dept/pub_works/projectgateway.html.

Des Moines’ Transportation Gateway Project is the focus of an informational open house Tuesday, April 14, from 5pm to 8pm in the city’s Senior Activities Center, located at 2045 S. 216th Street.

The public is invited to view and discuss with city Public Works Department staff plans for improvements to two major arterials – 24th Avenue South from South 208th Street to South 216th Street, and South 216th Street from Interstate 5 to 20th Avenue South.

Both 24th Avenue South and South 216th Street need to be widened to accommodate planned growth in the North Central and Pacific Ridge neighborhoods that will generate new jobs, retail and business opportunities for Des Moines.

The city needs to convert these streets from rural to urban standards to meet the increased traffic that will result.

These improvements will involve widening approximately 1.3 miles of the arterials to five or six lanes, including the addition of turn lanes; building curbs and gutters, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes; and installing traffic signals, drainage, and planter strips.

Funding for the engineering work will come, in part, from a state Public Works Trust Fund loan, as well as development fees and arterial road funds through the city’s Capital Improvement Program.

Major developments planned in Des Moines’ North Central and Pacific Ridge neighborhoods – Des Moines Creek Business Park, Waterview Crossing and other retail development – are expected, when completed, to generate over 35,000 daily vehicle trips on adjacent streets.

Current plans call for the development of 1.1 million square feet of business park, 450,000 square feet of retail space, and 1,600 housing units. In addition, adjacent property in SeaTac recently added a warehousing development with direct access to major streets in Des Moines.

Eventually, these projects are expected to add 2,200 to 3,300 jobs in the community, including 1,200 to 2,100 family-wage jobs. The business park also will add 90 acres of development to the city tax rolls.

The city has already vacated right of way, surplused deeded streets, and vacated underlying plats and subdivisions within the proposed Des Moines Creek Business Park in preparation for its development.

Design of the Transportation Gateway Project improvements also will facilitate future access to the regional transportation system, including King County Metro Rapid Ride in 2010 and, later, Sound Transit Light Rail along Pacific Highway South through Des Moines.

The open house will give members of the public an opportunity to meet one on one with city staff to discussing the scope of work and address individual questions and concerns.

For more information, visit: www.desmoineswa.gov, or download a PDF of the presentation here.

Persons with questions or comments are urged to contact Len Madsen, Project Manager at gatewayinfo@desmoineswa.gov.