Dear Neighbor:

I am writing you to let you know you that a critical decision on the SR-520 bridge is currently being considered in Olympia. State lawmakers are developing plans for the replacement of the SR-520 Bridge, and I believe it must be built for the future of our community, and not the past. The current proposal being offered by the Governor scales back the bridge design configuration, so that it will be unable to handle future high-capacity transit in its own right-of-way.

While I am pleased that the governor is aggressively pursuing a solution for SR-520, I am concerned that her proposal does not allow for future high-capacity transit alternatives similar to what we have for I-90. The Eastside must speak loudly when it comes to our preferences for the bridge replacement. We are unified in demanding a bridge replacement with capacity for two future dedicated high-capacity transit lanes. The cities of Redmond, Kirkland, and Bellevue; the Kirkland, Redmond, and Bellevue Chambers of Commerce; as well as several Eastside legislators have all spoken or written on behalf of this position. It is worth noting that this is not really an Eastside versus Westside issue. It is a regional decision for the next 50 years.

The Seattle Chamber favors a 6-lane bridge capable of future high-capacity transit in its own right-of-way. Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin said back in 2006, "SR- 520 has become a two-way street connecting urban centers on both sides of the lake and is a critical element in implementing the region's growth-management plan. Growth management requires effective transportation linkages connecting increasingly dense urban areas to protect farms, forests, and wilderness areas beyond the growth-management boundary.” (Councilman Richard Conlin, Seattle P-I, 12-13-06)

With only 18 days left in the state legislative session, I am urging you to contact Governor Gregoire today, to let her know it is not acceptable to build a bridge that will not alleviate today’s congestion levels. Our communities’ quality of life is dependant on effective, affordable, and forward thinking solutions.

Please inform Governor Gregoire of the following:

• Building the corridor now to accommodate high-capacity transit is a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative than having vehicles idle on the roadway, stuck in traffic congestion.

• Public safety demands replacing the 520 bridge as the region’s top transportation priority.

• A new 520 bridge has to accommodate the future needs of the region, adding two car-pool lanes now and building the underlying support structure that will allow for more future transit options.

• Resources are too scarce for us to rebuild the University of Washington-to-Microsoft corridor in a way that will be obsolete the day it opens.

• The SR-520 Corridor is a regional priority, and the region cannot afford to let a very small minority derail sustainable transit options on the 520 corridor.

The Puget Sound Business Journal and the Seattle Times came out strongly in favor of a SR-520 plan that creates four general-use lanes, two high-capacity lanes, and the infrastructure needed to possibly add two new lanes of bi-directional high-capacity transit in the future. Please contact Governor Gregoire today to add to the momentum being voiced by our community:

Governor Christine Gregoire, (360) 902-4111 or www.governor.wa.gov.

Sincerely,

Jane Hague

County Councilmember, District 6
jane.hague@kingcounty.gov
(206) 296-1006
(206) 296-0389 (fax)

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