by Ralph Nichols

Des Moines council members approved on July 15 the use of $1,400 in city funds to help pay Mayor Bob Sheckler’s airfare to China for the 1st World Emerging Industries Summit 2010.

But not before Councilman Dan Sherman repeatedly tried to block the contribution by the council.

Sheckler received a personal invitation in June from Wang Rulin, governor, Jilin Province of China, Dominique de Villepin, global chairman of the Asia-Pacific CEO Association Worldwide, and Zheng Xiongwei, global executive chairman of the association.

All his expenses for attending summit from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 – except travel – will be paid by the Chinese government.

Full airfare is expected to cost as much as $3,500, Sheckler informed the council before the vote.

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Kaplan and council members Melissa Musser, Matt Pina and Carmen Scott joined Sheckler in approving the expense.

The $1,400 is the balance remaining in this year’s general fund budget for authorized travel expenses by City Council members.

Before casting his no vote, Sherman displayed apparent ignorance of Chinese culture and customs by suggesting the city send someone other than the mayor, perhaps Economic Development Manager Marion Yoshida, to the summit.

Sheckler noted, however, that this invitation was extended to him personally following a successful trip he made to China last November, where he made contacts with government leaders and business investors.

For the city to send someone in his place, he said, could be viewed as an insult by the Chinese hosts. “Sending a substitute would set that person up for failure.” Sheckler added later that “failure is what Dan Sherman wants.”

Sherman also questioned without offering specifics the legality of ties the mayor is developing between Des Moines and Chinese officials and investors – a suggestion that appeared to leave other council members perplexed.

Voicing support for the city’s contribution, Councilwoman Carmen Scott noted that Sheckler “went [to China] last year, not at the city’s expense, and the city is already reaping rewards from that trip. So I think we should pay for a small portion of his trip this time.”

Sherman, however, countered that plans for a hotel financed by a Chinese investor, which will be located on Pacific Highway South, were already moving forward by the time Sheckler was in China.

Sheckler agreed the hotel already was being planned at the time of this trip – for Tacoma – and that contacts he made with the developer while there resulted in the project going to Des Moines instead.

The 300-plus-room hotel, now in the design and permitting stage, will include a four- or five-star authentic Chinese restaurant (not Chinese-American) and, possibly, retail space.

Earlier, he called the invitation “quite an honor … I look forward to the exchanges I will have with my hosts, and reporting back to our city when I return.”

He said Chinese investors “are looking for good opportunities for investments in Des Moines that will give them a good return for their dollar. Their interest is in profitable investments.”

And they like the Des Moines area because they can’t get its views of Puget Sound anywhere else “without paying premium dollars for them.”

Story and photos by Michael Brunk

On Wednesday, July 14, workers and local dignitaries joined together to celebrate the “topping out” of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s new consolidated rental car facility. When the new structure opens in spring of 2012, it will house all rental car related operations for the airport.

The ceremony, which by most accounts dates back to ancient Europe, marks the completion of the building’s basic structure. After the mandatory speeches, the dignitaries and labor representatives each signed the large steel beam that acted as a back drop for the day’s ceremony.

Bedecked with a banner representing the Iron Workers Local 86, an American flag on one end and an evergreen tree on the other, the beam was lifted by one of the large tower cranes and “flown” around the job site before being maneuvered into place on top of the structure.

With the final piece of structural steel in place, the construction project is around the half way point with a lot of work remaining in order to meet the scheduled opening date in early 2012.

Speakers at the event included Dave Soike, the Deputy Managing Director of Sea-Tac Airport, Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton, SeaTac Mayor Terry Anderson, rental car industry spokeswoman Lorie Tallarico, King County Labor Council AFL-CIO board member Lee Newgent, and Jack Beaudoin, Vice President and General Manager for Turner Construction.

All of the speakers emphasized the degree of cooperation and coordination required across multiple agencies, including the Port of Seattle, City of SeaTac, and the construction company and labor unions, for the project to move ahead and be successful despite roadblocks along the way.

The project was paused in December 2008 when economic conditions deteriorated. Construction resumed in July 2009 after the Port approved the sale of $317 million in revenue bonds to help fund the $419 million project. Almost the entire cost of the project will be paid back by fees paid by rental customers.

In the meantime, over 3,000 family-wage jobs will be generated over the life of the project and the City of SeaTac will collect nearly $2 million in tax revenue.

Much was made of the focus on minimizing the environmental impact. Turner Construction General Manager Jack Beaudoin stated that 95% of the materials used in constructing the facility were recycled, and that nearly 99% of construction waste leaving the site is being recycled. Beaudoin also declared the structure will be “salmon safe” with 85% of the car wash water reclaimed, filtered and reused. LEED certification is also being pursued for the facility

Once the new rental car facility opens, it will bring together operations that today are located at the airport and scattered across several off-site locations. In the process it will increase the number of companies providing cars from the five available at the airport today to a total of eleven. It will also free up more than 3,200 parking spaces in the main terminal garage.

Photographer Michael Brunk attended today’s ceremony and assembled the following slideshow. Click on the images to advance.

Click to Play Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

On Monday (May 24), the King County Council unanimously adopted fall transit service upgrades, including “Rapid Ride,” a new bus rapid transit service in an area from Tukwila to Federal Way, including Des Moines.

The implementation of “Rapid Ride” is one of the 2010-2011 service improvements approved by the Council.

“Establishing the first Rapid Ride line from SeaTac to Des Moines and Federal Way will give South King County riders quick, frequent, all-day bus service connecting with light rail at the airport,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Enhanced transit service helps to take cars off the road and lets people get where they need to go quickly and reliably.”

Rapid Ride is part of the “Transit Now” initiative adopted by voters in 2006. The “A Line” is the first of six Rapid Ride routes to be launched over the next three years. Arriving every 10 minutes during the busiest morning and evening travel hours, the specially-designed buses will have low floors and three doors, so people can get on and off quickly. A new fare payment system will allow riders with passes to pay as they enter any door.

The new route will replace Metro’s Route 174 operating along Pacific Highway S/International Boulevard between the Federal Way Transit Center and Sound Transit’s light rail station in Tukwila.

Starting Oct. 2, A Line buses will run every 10 to 15 minutes most of the day and their three-door design will allow riders to get on and off more quickly.  The new buses will be easy to recognize because of their red and yellow color scheme and sleek European design.  The new articulated coaches will also be low-emission hybrid-powered, similar to the many other environmentally-friendly buses in Metro’s fleet.

Come October, customers will discover there’s more to RapidRide than coach design and frequent service. New stations and shelters will reflect the new RapidRide brand and some stations will have ORCA fare card readers to speed boarding. Stations will also have electronic signs displaying the actual number of minutes before the next bus will arrive.

“Rapid Ride will allow riders to throw away their bus schedules for fast, frequent service on key corridors, and increased bus service on SR 520 will offer commuters alternatives to congestion and tolls,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, Chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee. “Bus riders will see these improvements to their service in the coming months thanks to voters’ approval of Transit Now and partnerships with the federal government and local communities. However, Metro’s budget shortfall continues to threaten the viability of our transit system, so we must remain focused on finding a long term solution.”

“These are exciting improvements,” said Council Vice Chair Jane Hague. “Today’s legislation provides significant increases in bus service to the eastside suburbs.  Bellevue and Kirkland commuters will now have more opportunities to avoid the 520 gridlock.”

“Rapid Ride is a solid transit investment that will serve some of the most densely populated, high ridership areas in our county, like the 15 mile stretch of roadway between Tukwila and Federal Way that will be connected by Line A this fall,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, whose Council District includes part of the Rapid Ride corridor. “With Rapid Ride coming soon, we mark a time when we’ll be able to move more people more quickly than ever before, all while getting them out of their cars.”

Additionally, the adopted legislation implements a federal Urban Partnership Agreement on SR 520, making the region eligible for more than $100 million of grant funds to address congestion in the SR 520 corridor. As part of the partnership agreement, King County will add 28,000 hours of bus service to existing routes 255, 265, 271, and 311. The transit service improvements will add 38 peak period transit trips to help reduce congestion and improve mobility along this important corridor. Sound Transit will increase regional express bus service on SR 520.

Under the Urban Partnership Agreement-related service, in October 2010 and February 2011, there will be increased service between downtown Seattle and Kirkland’s Totem Lake Transit Center (Route 255), the Houghton Park and Ride (Route 265), and Woodinville (Route 311). There will also be more service from Eastgate and downtown Bellevue to the University District on the Route 271.

This legislation also initiates a number of bus service improvements jointly funded by King County and the cities of Kent and Auburn as well as an expansion of service in Issaquah where the county is partnering with the city, the Port Blakely Communities, Timber Ridge at Talus and the Talus Residential Association. Through Transit Now service partnerships King County has been able to leverage its investments with contributions from other public or private entities to continue expansion of the Metro system even with the current budget constraints.

WLB Advertiser State Farm Insurance’s Vickie Bergquist has offered up some safety tips for traveling with kids in your car – this is worth knowing:

Vehicle safety of our children is of the utmost importance. Below are some guidelines for keeping your young child safe in a vehicle.

Infants up to 20 lbs and at least one year of age: Use rear-facing car seat correctly in a back seat every time your baby rides in a car. Use the vehicle’s safety belt or latch system to lock the car seat into the car – never use both. Use your baby’s car seat rear-facing and reclined no more than 45 degrees. Read the car seat instructions. Keep your baby rear-facing until at least age 1 and 20 pounds.

Children 1-4 years and 20-40 pounds: Use forward-facing car seat correctly in a back seat every time your toddler rides in a car. A child is too big for the seat when the shoulders are above the top slots, the top of the earns are above the back of the seat or the weight limit is exceeded.

Children 40-100 pounds: Use a booster seat correctly in a back seat every time your child rides in a car. Older kids get weighed and measured less often than babies, so check your child’s growth a few times a year. Use a booster seat until your child weighs between 80-100 pounds, is about 4 ft 9 inches tall and can pass the Safety Belt Fit Test. A booster seat uses no harness. It uses the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belts only. Never place the shoulder belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’s back.

Children under 13 years old must ride in the back seat – it’s the law.

[Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, Ad and/or Event Listing like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by thousands of interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

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.

by Ralph Nichols

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler recently presented to the City Council gifts that were given him during a trip to China late last fall.

But the mayor brought home a lot more than just gifts and a slide show of his travels in this ancient, now-booming country.

A multimillion-dollar development along Pacific Highway South backed by Chinese investors – agreed to during Sheckler’s highly productive trip – is now in the planning and permitting stage.

Ground breaking and the start of construction are expected to take place this summer if preliminary activity continues at its current pace.

The development, which will feature a hotel and restaurant and possibly retail space, will be located at the old state vehicle emissions testing site on the east side of Pac Highway not far north of Kent-Des Moines Road.

While in China, Sheckler also laid the foundation for an exchange program between Chinese community college students and students at Highline Community College.

And now there is the promise of even more. He reported at the Feb. 11 City Council meeting that representatives of business investors in China and Russia, with billions of dollars to invest, “are very interested in Des Moines.”

“The word’s out” about Des Moines – and the marina. “The word’s definitely out there,” Sheckler said. “They’re saying, ‘Where have you been?’ People are discovering that this (waterfront city) is a jewel. It’s very exciting.”

Sheckler began planning his China trip (Nov. 13-22) two years ago, not long after the prospect of developing a sister-city relationship with Changle, a coastal city in the Suzhou province of South China, was first discussed.

After corresponding with Changle Mayor Lin Wengang, Lin invited Sheckler to meet with him there. Sheckler was accompanied by Des Moines investor Matt Chan, who plans to build the Watercrossing development on the southeast side of the Pac Highway-South 216th St. intersection.

“I was there to visit him” and discuss a sister-city relationship, Sheckler noted. But he also went to China with plans to pursue an exchange-student arrangement and “to develop interest in investment in Des Moines.”

Even before he was “warmly received” by Lin and Deputy Mayor Lin Jian Xiu – to whom he presented gifts paid for by himself, as well as accepted their gifts – Sheckler had met with Zedong Ye, a property developer, and Mr. Zhang, an industrialist. Both had visited Des Moines and Tacoma last summer and liked the Waterland city.

Ye and Zhang had been told in advance that Sheckler and the Des Moines City Council are “very progressive in economic development” and wanted to meet with him.

In their culture, the initial meeting often determines whether a deal will be agreed to, and their cordial relationship at this dinner resulted in a green light for the Des Moines project. An advance team already in Des Moines was told to begin the pre-application process with the city, and the hotel project has been moving forward since then.

“I went over there to meet the mayor of Changle and to meet with others to get development going.” Mission accomplished.

Establishing a sister city relationship, according to custom, will take time, but the process has now begun. Discussions are in progress for an exchange student program in Des Moines. And ground breaking for the hotel is just a few months away.

That’s a pretty big long-term payoff for the city – which paid none of Sheckler’s expenses. He covered his round trip to Beijing and his hosts covered some of his expenses in China.

“But the key thing is the city didn’t have to pay for it. What I did on my own time and my own dime is my own business,” Shecker said, recalling that “certain naysayers” in the community criticized the cash-strapped city during the budget-setting process last fall for allegedly paying for his China trip.

He added, “The fact is, the city is the beneficiary, but the trip didn’t cost them a penny.”

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.

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.

Beginning this Friday (Dec. 18th) and continuing through New Year’s Eve, law enforcement in King County will join other local police to conduct “X-52″ patrols around the area, including the general Des Moines and Normandy Park areas.

“X-52″ stands for extra patrols 52 weeks per year, and the goal of the program is to reduce speeding and DUI-related traffic fatalities and serious injuries on the roads.

Other areas where the X-52ers will be out on Dec. 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 31 include:

• Burien
• Federal Way
• Kent
• Federal Way
• SeaTac
• Algona
• Bellevue
• Black Diamond
• Carnation-Duvall
• Clyde Hill
• Covington
• Issaquah
• Kirkland
• Maple Valley
• Mercer Island
• Newcastle
• North Bend
• Pacific
• Port of Seattle
• Redmond
• Sammamish
• Seattle
• Snoqualmie
• Woodinville
• Washington State Patrol

Officers will look for people who drive after drinking or using drugs and arrest them, so if you tend to drink and drive…DON’T!

Washington Traffic Safety Commission is releasing $450,000 worth of grants to local law enforcement agencies to help them provide additional impaired driving and speed patrols every week of the year.

These sustained enforcement patrols will specifically target speed and DUI offenders, as well as look for other traffic violations. The program is being administered statewide through a network of community traffic safety task forces.

The X-52 program also includes initiatives designed to let the public know that these extra patrols are happening in Washington every week. $450,000 is budgeted for paid radio advertising and alternative messaging. Earned media efforts will be spearheaded by community traffic safety task forces.

“Traffic crashes kill or seriously injure hundreds of people in King County each year,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “By driving sober or planning safe rides home, you can protect yourself, family and friends.”

A total of 94 people died in King County traffic crashes in 2008, and an additional 669 people were seriously injured. In a 2006 survey of Seattle drinkers, the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center found that one out of five drinkers admitted to driving after drinking too much at least once in the past month.

Officers who participated in 2008 – 2009 X-52 patrols in King County made 5,061 contacts with dangerous drivers, wrote 3,619 traffic citations or infractions, and arrested 105 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Officers also made 14 arrests for felony crimes.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission funds all X-52 DUI patrols as one strategy delineated in “Washington’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Target Zero.” The goal of “Target Zero” is zero traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington State by 2030.

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).

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.

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.

After 50 years, Des Moines is celebrating its past and present as a local escape and travel destination for the Puget Sound region. In 1904, when Redondo Beach was the Northwest’s premier resort destination, thousands of local visitors would journey to its beaches to swim, fish and promenade. A mosquito fleet of ferries brought passengers to the area daily from Seattle, Tacoma and beyond.

Today, that beach town feeling still exists—visitors can smell the sea air, dip their toes in the water, stroll along the boardwalk and enjoy the area’s charming shops and restaurants. To celebrate its 50 year heritage (Des Moines officially became a city on June 17, 1959), the city is hosting a series of events throughout the spring and summer meant to capture the feeling of the nostalgic getaway.

With many people vacationing closer to home and seeking new Northwest beach experiences, local and regional travelers will find numerous family and budget-friendly activities and outdoor attractions in Des Moines. From Redondo Beach, to Salt Water State Park and the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market, the first in Washington state dedicated to environmental stewardship farmers.

“Des Moines has such a rich history as a regional destination,” said Mayor Bob Sheckler. “We’re excited to highlight our beautiful waterfront and attractions offering visitors a unique charm.”

Des Moines offers a wide range of opportunities for outdoor living and recreation such as hiking, biking, boating, parks, shopping, dining, entertainment and an expansive waterfront. In addition to the downtown marina and beach park, Covenant Beach National Historic District features charming 1930s era buildings and was once itself a popular summer destination. Highline Community College’s Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST) is open to the public and offers kids and families a chance to see and touch local aquatic life in their many “touch pools.” Additionally, the downtown marina offers a “boat in, boat out” experience, allowing enthusiasts to easily visit for a day or overnight trip.

“This area has long been a waterfront destination for people in the Northwest,” said Katherine Kertzman of Seattle Southside, the tourism organization overseeing Des Moines, Kent, Tukwila and SeaTac. “We want to show everyone that it’s retained the charm that initially made it so popular.”

Adding to the quaint feeling of the area are the numerous stories of people and places that helped make Des Moines a tourist destination, many of which will be shared at the official Des Moines Birthday Party & Historic Display on June 17. Places like the memorable Big Tree Inn, a restaurant which was constructed entirely from hollowed-out sections of a 2000 year-old redwood tree. The building was created for an exposition in San Francisco and brought to Des Moines in the 1920s. The Big Tree Inn was later destroyed by fire in the 1950s. The Alder Beach Manor, built in 1916, also drew crowds to its restaurant and beachfront for picnics. During and after World War I, soldiers from Fort Lewis visited the Manor to such an extent that a dancehall was eventually added in the early 1920s. The Manor also succumbed to fire when a low tide prevented fire boats from saving the building.

Today, numerous local shops, hotels and restaurants welcome visitors. Many area businesses are owned by locals and have been passed down generation-to-generation since the city’s inception more than 50 years ago. Local historic sites like the art-deco Des Moines Cinema and the Landmark on the Sound hearken back to a time where sock hops and street fairs dominated social calendars. Luckily for Puget Sounders, in Des Moines, they still do.

The 50th birthday events, taking place from May through August, offer families budget-friendly activities, like the Seafair Parade, boat show and Waterland 5K Fun Run, taking place on Saturday July 18th. Many more community events are scheduled throughout spring and summer such as a Jazz & Blues Series (7/22-8/19), and the Jobies Community Carnival (8/15).

For more information regarding visiting Des Moines and upcoming community events, visit www.desmoines50th.com or call (206) 870-6527.

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.