[nfbwatlk] Fw: Transit April Fools Joke? 'Fraid Not! Legislature Jeopardizes Light Rail to the Eastside

Thu Apr 2 01:33:22 UTC 2009

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Shefali Ranganathan 
To: jacobstruiksma at gmail.com 
Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 11:31 AM
Subject: Transit April Fools Joke? 'Fraid Not! Legislature Jeopardizes Light Rail to the Eastside


      ACTION ALERT: Transit April Fools Joke?  Sadly Not! Legislature's Not So Funny Attempt to Stop Light Rail to the Eastside
      The Legislature is attempting to jeopardize light rail to the Eastside.  Sadly this is no April Fools joke!  Over the last week, the state legislature has moved to block light rail to Bellevue and Redmond, both in the Senate and in the House.  


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      Last year YOU voted to pass Proposition 1 which will bring light rail to Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond across the I-90 Bridge. Sound Transit and the state reached an agreement to jointly fund HOV lanes over the I-90 Bridge through the R8A project. Those lanes must be built before the express lanes can be converted to light rail, and that construction must start very soon to keep light rail to the eastside on schedule. 

      Contact your representative TODAY and ask them to restore funding for the R8A project. 


      In order to bring light rail across Lake Washington as soon as possible, Sound Transit doubled their contribution to this project to $90 million, and the state agreed to pay the remaining $24 million. The region shouldered most of the burden of this project, and now the state is backing out of their part - recently released budget proposals in the House and Senate defund or postpone the project to 2017. Your representatives are willing to halt a voter-approved $6 billion public investment in transit that will create jobs, reduce congestion and decrease emissions over $24 million which was already funded by voters as part of the statewide gas tax increase in 2003.  


      It gets worse!  The state also added another roadblock, a study to determine how much the state can charge Sound Transit - meaning us regional voters and taxpayers - to use the I-90 bridge for light rail.  YOU the taxpayer has already paid for this bridge, and they are thinking about asking YOU to pay for it again!
      Click to tell your legislators to hold up their end of the bargain. Many, like Senator Fred Jarrett, Representative Judy Clibborn from Mercer Island and Speaker Frank Chopp, represent districts that voted decisively for Proposition 1. You made your decision, and it's time for them to represent you! 

      Contact your representative TODAY and ask them to restore funding for the R8A project.  Ask them not overturn the will of the voters who voted overwhelmingly to build a regional rail system.!


      [Reminder] FRIDAY FORUM: Get Onboard - The Future of Intercity Rail in the Pacific Northwest
      Intercity rail is the hot topic in transportation these days. With the federal government making a significant investment in high-speed rail ($8 billion as part of the federal stimulus package), Amtrak Cascades is well positioned to receive a portion of these dollars.   The discussion will focus on the state of intercity passenger rail in the Northwest and opportunities for future rail expansion.   Could 110+ mph rail between Seattle and Portland be in the foreseeable future?  What can you do advocate for high speed rail in the Northwest?  Join our discussion and find out! 
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      WHAT: Get Onboard - The Future of Intercity Rail in the Pacific Northwest with Ron Sheck, former Urban Rail Program Manager, WSDOT; Andrew Wood, Deputy Director, State Rail, WSDOT; and Bruce Agnew, Policy Director, The Cascadia Center 

      WHEN: Friday April 3, 12:00pm - 1:30pm
      WHERE: Seattle and King County Public Health Building, 401 5th Ave., Room 115 (first floor)


      Thank you to our sponsors of the Friday Forum Series
      PLATINUM 
      Vulcan Inc.

      GOLD
      CH2M Hill
      The Boeing Company
      HDR Inc. 

      SILVER 
      Jacobs and Associates | IBI Group | HNTB Corporation | Parsons Brinckerhoff
      Wilbur Smith Associates | Bricklin Newman Dold


      Cheers!
      Shefali Ranganathan
      Director of Education and Outreach
      Transportation Choices Coalition
      811 1st Avenue, Suite 626
      Seattle, WA 98104
      Phone: 206.329.2336
      Fax: 206.329.2705
      www.transportationchoices.org
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