This week, as Capitol Hill and neighborhoods across the region begin receiving absentee ballots, we'll have the chance to vote for Proposition 1, the mass transit expansion measure that adds more Express bus hours, expands the popular Sounder commuter rail, and builds 36 miles of new light rail.
Proposition 1 is good for Capitol Hill, and it's good for the region. Unfortunately, the opponents of this measure continue to use faulty logic, bad numbers and outright falsehoods to confuse voters. We want to set the record straight because the facts about Proposition 1 make its strongest case.
B y any measure, Capitol Hill will be one of the biggest winners from passing Proposition 1. We'll gain frequent, rapid, reliable connections to destinations across the three-county region. Light rail will run from Lynnwood to Federal Way and east across Lake Washington to Redmond. What's more, Proposition 1 builds the First Hill street car, connecting Capitol Hill, First Hill and the International District to the larger system.
Opponents of Proposition 1 claimed that the proposed light rail station at Broadway and East John Street and East Denny Way isn't near the commercial district. We can only assume that these folks haven't been to Capitol Hill for a long time. Say, about fifty years.
Light rail will be popular on Capitol Hill the day it opens. But don't just take our word for it. The project earned the highest rating by the Federal Transit Administration. The population around the Capitol Hill neighborhood is expected to increase 56 percent from 2000 to 2030, and that means buses will spend a lot of time idling in traffic. From Capitol Hill, it will take three minutes to get the University District on light rail instead of 22 minutes by bus. That savings really adds up over time.
Light rail is great fit for the Capitol Hill community, making it more environmentally-friendly, walkable and diverse. If we pass Proposition 1, the region will save about $41 million currently spent on gasoline and diesel. That's good for our pocketbooks, and the planet.
Opponents of Proposition 1 say the measure will cost $107 billion, but they don't even believe that. Despite the ads they continue to run scaring people with big, false numbers, the opponents know that the package on the ballot doesn't cost that much. What's more, a King County Superior Court judge recently threw out the opponent's ballot title challenge, affirming that Sound Transit's number are fair and accurate.
Here's what Proposition 1 costs: $17.9 billion over 15 years. That breaks down to about $69 per adult each year, a good value for immediate bus service and a transit system that will improve our communities for the next 100 years. When the projects are finished, the taxes rollback. That's in the legislation.
The opponents say Proposition 1 will handle only a tiny fraction of all daily trips, but that's misleading, too. This measure is designed to move the most people during peak hours. If we pass Proposition 1, 50 percent of commuters into downtown Seattle will take transit, and transit-use in Bellevue will triple.
Finally, opponents contend Sound Transit can't be trusted. But next year, the agency will debut the region's first light rail line from Seattle to Tukwila on a budget established seven years ago. The same accurate cost projections are being used for next round of projects. And when it comes to trust, let's not forget a simple fact: Every day, more than 50, 000 people ride Sound Transit Express buses, Sounder rail and Tacoma light rail. Theses folks arrive at work on time and they go home safely at night. Sound Transit earns its good reputation every day.
On November 4, let's not let the skeptics and the naysayers have the final word. Let's take the steps to build a regional transit network that will benefit our economy, our environment and our quality of life. Join us in voting YES on Proposition 1.
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