Freight, and the ability to move it efficiently, is vital to the Port of Seattle, if one is to believe the Port's news releases, not to mention common sense.
Ballard, Interbay, North end Manufacturing Industrial Center (BINMIC) encompasses the industrial-zoned property in our neighborhoods. Businesses within BINMIC supPort about 14,000 jobs and a payroll of $950,000, according to the Port's data. Much of the fishing fleet is fueled from docks in Ballard, and millions of gallons of fuel must be trucked in to do that. An estimated 3,500 to 4,000 trucks use the Viaduct daily, much of that in supPort of Port activities. More than 50 trucks are needed to provision each cruise ship docking in Seattle, and many more buses and taxis move passengers to the ships.
Although the Port opposed the "surface-only" proposal to replace the Viaduct, it remained on the sidelines as various groups and bureaucracies argued what form the solution should take and whether it should be above or below ground.
The Port has a vested interest in maintaining or improving freight mobility from Ballard to the Duwamish. Our neighborhoods have a similar interest since arterials and highways that cannot move freight will not move other vehicles. The final design of the waterfront streets, Mercer, and state Route 99 will determine if Magnolia and many residents of Queen Anne can access the areas to and from the south efficiently, or whether they and the trucks will be stuck in gridlock.
The Viaduct, and its replacement, is a major factor in the Port's economic well-being. At some point the commissioners will need to cast votes to participate or not. Will the Port determine for itself how well these routes work or take rePorts generated by the various transPortation agencies at face value?
To date, those agencies describe the new Alaskan Way as a freight arterial and, in the next breath, talk of mixing bicycles with trucks and other motorized vehicles on the roadway. Whether the road can carry freight and other traffic or is really a tourist promenade is of vital imPortance to the Port and residents of our neighborhoods.
According to rePorts at the Magnolia - Queen Anne District Council's July meeting, the Viaduct replacement project is counting on the Port of Seattle to kick in $300 million for the $4.2 billion project. The Port says it will spend our money to replace the south mile of the Viaduct and for a new east-west connection to the container terminals.
Port staffer Mike Merrick noted that the Port commissioners have not voted on the funding but it was thought likely they would supPort it. Last week, Port Commission president Bill Bryant said that the spending proposal was far from being accepted and that the commission would take a hard look at it before approving anything.
Not long ago, when the Port CEO was Mic Dinsmore, the decision would have been his and his alone. He ran the Port like a rogue warlord and any debate by the commissioners was for window dressing. The commission was a rubber-stamp for the CEO and Port staff when sycophants like Pat Davis controlled it.
It was not until commissioners Lloyd Hara and John Creighton were elected that real debate began on the commission. Unfortunately Lloyd Hara is leaving the commission to run for County Assessor but Commissioner Creighton is unopposed in this year's elections. He will be available for another round of debates on whether the Port puts $300 million toward moving freight and people or entertaining tourists.[[In-content Ad]]
