TNT article about the Tacoma City Council meeting held Tuesday evening October 6th. The meeting was very well attended with approximately 27 people speaking to the council during the public comments section of the meeting. All but three were in favor of Post and Beam for the design of the new Sound Transit rail line in the Dome District.
Here's the link to the article, leave comments at the end.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/1210/story/907346.html
The pole featured on The News Tribune shows votes of more than 80% in favor of Post and Beam construction.
Supporters of Post and Beam met this morning to discuss our next steps. We're working on a plan to save millions of dollars and get the train to Lakewood faster than Sound Transits current plans. If you're a known supporter and want to help send an email to doitrighttacoma@gmail.com for more information, please include your telephone number. Also, you can attend next weeks City Council meeting hear about our plans.
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Showing posts with label In The News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In The News. Show all posts
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Sound Transit and Tacoma Tracks
In the news again!
The News Tribune, Sunday Edition features a good article concerning the Sound Transit project with information about the berm and Post and Beam.
It's available online and you can leave comments: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/904023.html
There's an important informational forum this Monday, featuring the berm verses post and beam. The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Dome District, will be presenting a computer generated graphics presentation showing both design plans and how they will likely look.
You'll be able to ask questions and look at any spot along the train track alignment in both versions. This is an important show and tell, and a chance to encourage the city to listen to citizens and business owners.
The Forum will be Monday, October 5th, 5:00 p.m. at the Best Western Tacoma Dome Hotel. The address is: 2611 East E Street, Tacoma. Street parking is abundant. Please arrive early for the presentation and bring along friends.
Also, on Tuesday evening, October 6th, there's an important Tacoma City Council meeting. It's the final reading of Ordinance No. 27833. Authorizing the execution of a Right of Use Agreement with Sound Transit regarding the area located from East D Street to South M Street. The meeting starts at 5:00 p.m. location is 747 Market Street.
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It's available online and you can leave comments: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/904023.html
There's an important informational forum this Monday, featuring the berm verses post and beam. The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Dome District, will be presenting a computer generated graphics presentation showing both design plans and how they will likely look.
You'll be able to ask questions and look at any spot along the train track alignment in both versions. This is an important show and tell, and a chance to encourage the city to listen to citizens and business owners.
The Forum will be Monday, October 5th, 5:00 p.m. at the Best Western Tacoma Dome Hotel. The address is: 2611 East E Street, Tacoma. Street parking is abundant. Please arrive early for the presentation and bring along friends.
Also, on Tuesday evening, October 6th, there's an important Tacoma City Council meeting. It's the final reading of Ordinance No. 27833. Authorizing the execution of a Right of Use Agreement with Sound Transit regarding the area located from East D Street to South M Street. The meeting starts at 5:00 p.m. location is 747 Market Street.
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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Peter O'Callahan TNT News Article
Environment and Public Works Meeting Notice
Sound Transit and Post and Beam Supporters are in the news again. Blog article written by Patrick O'Callahan, published in yesterday's Tacoma News Tribune.
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/opinion/2009/09/05/the-battle-of-the-berm/#more-103
City Manager Eric Anderson, gives some insight into the project, but unfortunately his statement about the height is incorrect. The track needs to be at a specific grade so both options will be the same height.
You can leave comments when reading the article online.
Concerned Citizens are working on a plan to lower the costs of the project, as well as create jobs for a local Tacoma company. We'll post information as it becomes available. We're also looking for a lawyer to provide us with some concerned citizen support.
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Environment and Public Works Committee, is meeting tonight at City Hall. Meeting Time/Frequency: 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. The link below has additional info and the agenda. Rumor has it that some information about Sound Transit plans will be presented. It's a good meeting to attend if you have time.
http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?cid=11099
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Sound Transit is apparently looking at three options for the B Street Ravine. However, they are not releasing their ideas or plans at this time. This makes it difficult to provide them with feedback and input on the plans.
Concerned citizens are willing to work with Sound Transit and the Tacoma City Council to help this project along.
We are not interested in slowing the project or having it cost millions more. We just want it done correctly and in a way that is best for the future of Tacoma and the Dome District.
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http://blog.thenewstribune.com/opinion/2009/09/05/the-battle-of-the-berm/#more-103
City Manager Eric Anderson, gives some insight into the project, but unfortunately his statement about the height is incorrect. The track needs to be at a specific grade so both options will be the same height.
You can leave comments when reading the article online.
Concerned Citizens are working on a plan to lower the costs of the project, as well as create jobs for a local Tacoma company. We'll post information as it becomes available. We're also looking for a lawyer to provide us with some concerned citizen support.
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Environment and Public Works Committee, is meeting tonight at City Hall. Meeting Time/Frequency: 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. The link below has additional info and the agenda. Rumor has it that some information about Sound Transit plans will be presented. It's a good meeting to attend if you have time.
http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?cid=11099
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Sound Transit is apparently looking at three options for the B Street Ravine. However, they are not releasing their ideas or plans at this time. This makes it difficult to provide them with feedback and input on the plans.
Concerned citizens are willing to work with Sound Transit and the Tacoma City Council to help this project along.
We are not interested in slowing the project or having it cost millions more. We just want it done correctly and in a way that is best for the future of Tacoma and the Dome District.
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Saturday, August 8, 2009
Sound Transit and Tacoma Tracks
Interesting story about Tacoma, Sound Transit and earth berms.
It's from 2004, but relates somewhat to today's issues.
Sound Transit still stuck in a Tacoma sinkhole (2004)
By Jane Hadley
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
A few paragraphs from the story:
The introduction of Sounder train service between Everett and Lakewood in Pierce County is many years behind schedule. At one point, Sound Transit had promised to have 15 round trips by the end of 2001. Currently, there are three round-trip trains running between Tacoma and Seattle and one round-trip train running between Everett and Seattle.
The delays result from loss of revenue associated with Initiative 695, endangered-species protections, property-acquisition difficulties and negotiations with Burlington Northern Santa Fe over use of its rails.
The troubled Tacoma track segment has been an ongoing headache and embarrassment for Sound Transit.
Link to the full story:
http://www.seattlepi.com/transportation/177204_transpo10.html
We want Sound Transit to do what is best for Tacoma. Good planning and design do not delay projects. Sound Transit needs to rethink and correct their plans through the Dome District and not build another earth berm like they are currently planning.
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It's from 2004, but relates somewhat to today's issues.
Sound Transit still stuck in a Tacoma sinkhole (2004)
By Jane Hadley
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
A few paragraphs from the story:
The introduction of Sounder train service between Everett and Lakewood in Pierce County is many years behind schedule. At one point, Sound Transit had promised to have 15 round trips by the end of 2001. Currently, there are three round-trip trains running between Tacoma and Seattle and one round-trip train running between Everett and Seattle.
The delays result from loss of revenue associated with Initiative 695, endangered-species protections, property-acquisition difficulties and negotiations with Burlington Northern Santa Fe over use of its rails.
The troubled Tacoma track segment has been an ongoing headache and embarrassment for Sound Transit.
Link to the full story:
http://www.seattlepi.com/transportation/177204_transpo10.html
We want Sound Transit to do what is best for Tacoma. Good planning and design do not delay projects. Sound Transit needs to rethink and correct their plans through the Dome District and not build another earth berm like they are currently planning.
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Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Claudia Riedener's letter to the Editor: Trib
TACOMA: Sound Transit’s plan is the wrong one
CLAUDIA RIEDENER; Tacoma
Published: 08/05/09 12:05 am
Sound Transit wants to run an earthen berm through the middle of the Dome District. It is 10 years behind schedule and now needs to move along with what it designed.
It seems to me that hurry is a bad reason to build something that is supposed to be in place for 50 to 100 years or more. The Dome District is our most viable neighborhood for future density. All major transportation hubs are right here, and it is within walking distance of many downtown attractions.
Cutting the district in half with a berm that will be a weedy mess surrounded by chain- link fence is unconscionable. No other neighborhood would allow that. We are losing commercially viable space and parking necessary for Dome events.
We are losing future development in the area because if will not be financially viable to build next to the berm and have to shore up massive amounts of soil. Earthquakes are another issue; we know what happens when we build on fill.
The movement of thousand of people during Dome and LeMay Museum events will cause safety issues with folks trying to cross the tracks. Tacoma’s own comprehensive plan calls for wildlife corridors in this area; Sound Transit’s current plan is in direct opposition to that.
Tacoma deserves a smart transportation solution that is fit for an urban area. Let’s demand smart, forward-looking planning with livability of our communities at heart. Let’s build post and beam.
Link to Claudia's letter in the TNT http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/834265.html?storylink=pd
Other Letters to the Editors:
Bliss Moore TNT 8/1/09 http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/830566.html
Lynn Di Nino TNT 7/29/09 http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/826830.html?storylink=pd
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CLAUDIA RIEDENER; Tacoma
Published: 08/05/09 12:05 am
Sound Transit wants to run an earthen berm through the middle of the Dome District. It is 10 years behind schedule and now needs to move along with what it designed.
It seems to me that hurry is a bad reason to build something that is supposed to be in place for 50 to 100 years or more. The Dome District is our most viable neighborhood for future density. All major transportation hubs are right here, and it is within walking distance of many downtown attractions.
Cutting the district in half with a berm that will be a weedy mess surrounded by chain- link fence is unconscionable. No other neighborhood would allow that. We are losing commercially viable space and parking necessary for Dome events.
We are losing future development in the area because if will not be financially viable to build next to the berm and have to shore up massive amounts of soil. Earthquakes are another issue; we know what happens when we build on fill.
The movement of thousand of people during Dome and LeMay Museum events will cause safety issues with folks trying to cross the tracks. Tacoma’s own comprehensive plan calls for wildlife corridors in this area; Sound Transit’s current plan is in direct opposition to that.
Tacoma deserves a smart transportation solution that is fit for an urban area. Let’s demand smart, forward-looking planning with livability of our communities at heart. Let’s build post and beam.
Link to Claudia's letter in the TNT http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/834265.html?storylink=pd
Other Letters to the Editors:
Bliss Moore TNT 8/1/09 http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/830566.html
Lynn Di Nino TNT 7/29/09 http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/826830.html?storylink=pd
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Peter Callaghan's story in Trib
When it comes to Dome District, Sound Transit planners aren’t listening
PETER CALLAGHAN; THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: 08/04/09 12:05 am
Comments (46)
Recommend (15)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/833070.html
At one time, Sound Transit operated under a strict policy: Any neighborhood that hosted the transit agency’s rails and stations would be better off after construction than it was before.
That policy now seems to have been amended to read “except in Tacoma.” Down here, we are being directed by the bureaucrats and the politicians who allegedly supervise them to take what they offer us and like it.
Or else.
Or else what?
Or else they’ll take their rails and trains and go home to Seattle.
The latest issue is the method to get Sounder trains from the current end of the line at Freighthouse Square to South Tacoma and Lakewood. In order to climb a small grade between D and M streets, the engineers must gradually elevate the tracks. The grade is needed so the tracks can cross Pacific on a bridge rather than at street level – a change made for safety reasons.
Sound Transit staff wants to build a tall earthen berm and put the tracks on top. When that decision was made, such a method was considerably cheaper. But the businesses and neighbors in the Dome District – plus lots of others who see that area as a great mixed-use area some day – see the berm as the Not-So-Great Wall of Tacoma.
The berm will create a visual and psychological barrier between the upper part of the district by the Dome and the lower part that approaches the Foss Waterway.
Dome District advocates have suggested using post-and-beam construction instead. That would allow pedestrians to pass beneath and allow some space for parking. While earlier estimates said post-and-beam would be much more expensive, more-recent analysis suggests the costs are comparable.
Neither one is a fabulous solution. But the post-and-beam method would be less bad, and advocates for the neighborhood are telling anyone and everyone who will listen. They are also trying to tell a lot of folks who aren’t listening – the Sound Transit staff and the local elected officials who serve on the Sound Transit board.
Last week, at the urging of Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, who recently joined the Sound Transit board, a meeting was held with agency staff, politicians and neighborhood advocates. Plans were presented, opinions were shared, the path of the tracks was toured.
When it was over, Sound Transit said thanks for coming, but it isn’t changing its plans. The design was changed once, staff said, when the decision was made to go over the top of Pacific. The project is already over time and over budget.
None of that is the fault of the neighborhoods or the city of Tacoma.
Neighbors probably don’t expect the bureaucrats in Seattle to pay them much attention. They do, however, expect the local elected officials who represent them on the Sound Transit board to take on their case. That hasn’t happened either.
After last week’s meeting, Tacoma Councilwoman Julie Anderson told News Tribune editorial page editor Pat O’Callahan that residents shouldn’t get their hopes up.
“It’s unfortunate that people think we’re at a decision point, because a decision was made quite some time ago,” Anderson said.
Once again, Sound Transit has demonstrated the difference between being willing to listen and being willing to be persuaded. The agency is required to spend millions of dollars to distribute information and seek public opinion. But there is little evidence that opinions contrary to those held by staff and board members are considered.
Anyone who has ridden the Seattle LINK segments can see how much was spent to make those neighborhoods better. Seattle politicians also assured that millions more were spent on nontransit economic and social programs to buy off opposition in the Rainier Valley.
But when Tacoma residents ask for a design that won’t damage the Dome District, they’re told to take a hike.
Peter Callaghan: 253-597-8657
peter.callaghan@thenewstribune.com
blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics
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PETER CALLAGHAN; THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: 08/04/09 12:05 am
Comments (46)
Recommend (15)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/833070.html
At one time, Sound Transit operated under a strict policy: Any neighborhood that hosted the transit agency’s rails and stations would be better off after construction than it was before.
That policy now seems to have been amended to read “except in Tacoma.” Down here, we are being directed by the bureaucrats and the politicians who allegedly supervise them to take what they offer us and like it.
Or else.
Or else what?
Or else they’ll take their rails and trains and go home to Seattle.
The latest issue is the method to get Sounder trains from the current end of the line at Freighthouse Square to South Tacoma and Lakewood. In order to climb a small grade between D and M streets, the engineers must gradually elevate the tracks. The grade is needed so the tracks can cross Pacific on a bridge rather than at street level – a change made for safety reasons.
Sound Transit staff wants to build a tall earthen berm and put the tracks on top. When that decision was made, such a method was considerably cheaper. But the businesses and neighbors in the Dome District – plus lots of others who see that area as a great mixed-use area some day – see the berm as the Not-So-Great Wall of Tacoma.
The berm will create a visual and psychological barrier between the upper part of the district by the Dome and the lower part that approaches the Foss Waterway.
Dome District advocates have suggested using post-and-beam construction instead. That would allow pedestrians to pass beneath and allow some space for parking. While earlier estimates said post-and-beam would be much more expensive, more-recent analysis suggests the costs are comparable.
Neither one is a fabulous solution. But the post-and-beam method would be less bad, and advocates for the neighborhood are telling anyone and everyone who will listen. They are also trying to tell a lot of folks who aren’t listening – the Sound Transit staff and the local elected officials who serve on the Sound Transit board.
Last week, at the urging of Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, who recently joined the Sound Transit board, a meeting was held with agency staff, politicians and neighborhood advocates. Plans were presented, opinions were shared, the path of the tracks was toured.
When it was over, Sound Transit said thanks for coming, but it isn’t changing its plans. The design was changed once, staff said, when the decision was made to go over the top of Pacific. The project is already over time and over budget.
None of that is the fault of the neighborhoods or the city of Tacoma.
Neighbors probably don’t expect the bureaucrats in Seattle to pay them much attention. They do, however, expect the local elected officials who represent them on the Sound Transit board to take on their case. That hasn’t happened either.
After last week’s meeting, Tacoma Councilwoman Julie Anderson told News Tribune editorial page editor Pat O’Callahan that residents shouldn’t get their hopes up.
“It’s unfortunate that people think we’re at a decision point, because a decision was made quite some time ago,” Anderson said.
Once again, Sound Transit has demonstrated the difference between being willing to listen and being willing to be persuaded. The agency is required to spend millions of dollars to distribute information and seek public opinion. But there is little evidence that opinions contrary to those held by staff and board members are considered.
Anyone who has ridden the Seattle LINK segments can see how much was spent to make those neighborhoods better. Seattle politicians also assured that millions more were spent on nontransit economic and social programs to buy off opposition in the Rainier Valley.
But when Tacoma residents ask for a design that won’t damage the Dome District, they’re told to take a hike.
Peter Callaghan: 253-597-8657
peter.callaghan@thenewstribune.com
blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics
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Sunday, August 2, 2009
Tacoma Anti-Berm / What's New
SOUND TRANSIT MEETING - LAST MONDAY
Representatives from Sound Transit met with a large group of concerned citizens and presented their berm plans. In attendance were several Sound Transit Board Members, including Pat McCarthy, David Enslow, Julie Anderson, and Claudia Thomas, the City of Tacoma was represented by Mayor Bill Baarsma, City Manager Eric Anderson, Council Members Connie Ladenburg, and Mike Lonergan, there were also approximately 100 concerned citizens, several Neighborhood Council Chairs including Jesse Hart and Mike Lord, conservation groups, including Sierra Club and Cascade Land Conservancy, also Matt Perry of Representative Adam Smith office plus 10-20 Sound Transit staff. It was a very warm morning and they were not prepared for such a turnout of concerned citizens. To sum up the meeting, Sound Transit said they are not changing their plans, and after the walk-thru, a show of hands indicated citizens and groups were more convinced the ever that it should be open with a Post and Beam method of construction.
STRATEGY AND TRAINING
Our core group met twice last week to talk about strategy and next steps. We had one successful training session so decided to have another on August 6th. We are planning to meet at the Tacoma Green Drinks monthly meeting, because Cascade Land Conservancy is this month's sponsor, meeting at Meconi’s Pub and Eatery, 709 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Tacoma. If needed we'll move to an adjacent office for the meeting. About CLC http://www.cascadeland.org/
POST AND BEAM COST
Sound Transit officials have long argued that post and beam is prohibitively expensive, and have cited a cost increase of anywhere from four to ten million dollars. But their engineering firm’s “Technical Memorandum,” released Monday, estimates that a concrete and steel hybrid post and beam is only $5 million, compared to the berm at $4.6M (or $6.5M vs. $5.5M after cost contingencies). We are having an independent highway/rail Engineer look at the "Tech Memo" to confirm the numbers and to evaluate their hybrid design, which we think is over built.
FACEBOOK PAGE
New page with 187 fans joined in the past week.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Do-It-Right-Tacoma/115983747610?ref=mf
ONLINE PETITION
80 people have now signed and commented, if you have not signed it, please do so today.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/844347001
You can post comments when you sign the petition.
NEWS COVERAGE
The News Tribune and the Tacoma Weekly each featured a front page story about the Sound Transit berm in last weeks newspapers. Bliss Moore and Lynn DiNino sent letters to the Editors and got published (they both support the no berm side).
Augsust 4th TNT article:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/833070.html
We encourage you to email letters to Newspaper Editors and the City Council.
SUPPORT LETTERS
We're collecting support letters from all of the Community Councils of Tacoma, neighborhood groups, environmental organizations, and business groups. Please check with the groups you're affiliated with, and if they support us request that a letter be sent to us as well as the Tacoma City Council showing support.
There's more but this is getting too long so I'll stop here.
Please tell your friends about Do It Right Tacoma, stopping the berm is a cause worth fighting for.
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Representatives from Sound Transit met with a large group of concerned citizens and presented their berm plans. In attendance were several Sound Transit Board Members, including Pat McCarthy, David Enslow, Julie Anderson, and Claudia Thomas, the City of Tacoma was represented by Mayor Bill Baarsma, City Manager Eric Anderson, Council Members Connie Ladenburg, and Mike Lonergan, there were also approximately 100 concerned citizens, several Neighborhood Council Chairs including Jesse Hart and Mike Lord, conservation groups, including Sierra Club and Cascade Land Conservancy, also Matt Perry of Representative Adam Smith office plus 10-20 Sound Transit staff. It was a very warm morning and they were not prepared for such a turnout of concerned citizens. To sum up the meeting, Sound Transit said they are not changing their plans, and after the walk-thru, a show of hands indicated citizens and groups were more convinced the ever that it should be open with a Post and Beam method of construction.
Sound Transit meeting July 27th
Walking the Dome District area with Sound Transit on July 27th
STRATEGY AND TRAINING
Our core group met twice last week to talk about strategy and next steps. We had one successful training session so decided to have another on August 6th. We are planning to meet at the Tacoma Green Drinks monthly meeting, because Cascade Land Conservancy is this month's sponsor, meeting at Meconi’s Pub and Eatery, 709 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Tacoma. If needed we'll move to an adjacent office for the meeting. About CLC http://www.cascadeland.org/
POST AND BEAM COST
Sound Transit officials have long argued that post and beam is prohibitively expensive, and have cited a cost increase of anywhere from four to ten million dollars. But their engineering firm’s “Technical Memorandum,” released Monday, estimates that a concrete and steel hybrid post and beam is only $5 million, compared to the berm at $4.6M (or $6.5M vs. $5.5M after cost contingencies). We are having an independent highway/rail Engineer look at the "Tech Memo" to confirm the numbers and to evaluate their hybrid design, which we think is over built.
FACEBOOK PAGE
New page with 187 fans joined in the past week.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Do-It-Right-Tacoma/115983747610?ref=mf
ONLINE PETITION
80 people have now signed and commented, if you have not signed it, please do so today.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/844347001
You can post comments when you sign the petition.
NEWS COVERAGE
The News Tribune and the Tacoma Weekly each featured a front page story about the Sound Transit berm in last weeks newspapers. Bliss Moore and Lynn DiNino sent letters to the Editors and got published (they both support the no berm side).
Augsust 4th TNT article:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/833070.html
We encourage you to email letters to Newspaper Editors and the City Council.
SUPPORT LETTERS
We're collecting support letters from all of the Community Councils of Tacoma, neighborhood groups, environmental organizations, and business groups. Please check with the groups you're affiliated with, and if they support us request that a letter be sent to us as well as the Tacoma City Council showing support.
There's more but this is getting too long so I'll stop here.
Please tell your friends about Do It Right Tacoma, stopping the berm is a cause worth fighting for.
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Saturday, August 1, 2009
Help Save the "B" Street Ravine
Here's a nice letter published by The News Tribune
by BLISS MOORE; Tacoma
Published: 08/01/09 12:05 am
---------------------------------
TACOMA: Rail crossing must accommodate wildlife
Re: “Rail to Lakewood: Get on with it” (editorial, 7-29).
The 100-plus community members attending the Sound Transit community meeting in Tacoma Tuesday were unanimous that, at the very least, the B Street Ravine crossing should be on posts and beams and not on a berm.
That ravine is part of a wildlife corridor from the southern uplands north to the Foss Waterway. Though there are still two other barriers (Tacoma Rail tracks and 25th Street) in the ravine, berming for the new Sound Transit Sounder tracks would essentially seal off this ravine forever.
Berming would be contrary to re-establishing this wildlife corridor per the comprehensive plan for this area. The post-and-beam construction, with its small additional cost, would provide a better opportunity in the future to modify these other barriers, making an open corridor for wildlife and a trail for people from the McKinley Park area to the Foss Waterway.
The Dome District deserves a decent chance to become a vibrant business district around “The Transportation Hub” of Tacoma and the region, much like Spokane has now.
The Dome District group’s own independent engineering report indicates that constructing with posts and beams could be done more simply and inexpensively than Sound Transit estimates.
Tacoma should embrace preservation of vital urban open space to attract the new businesses and residents the city needs to become a model for sustainable urban growth and development.
---------------------------------
Here's the online link, where you can leave comments:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/830566.html
---------------------------------
We urge you and others to write to The News Tribune, here's the email address to write to: letters@thenewstribune.com
The Tacoma Weekly has a Front Page page story written by John Larson in this weeks paper. Here's a link to the online article: http://www.tacomaweekly.com/article/3356
Please sign our Online Petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/844347001
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by BLISS MOORE; Tacoma
Published: 08/01/09 12:05 am
---------------------------------
TACOMA: Rail crossing must accommodate wildlife
Re: “Rail to Lakewood: Get on with it” (editorial, 7-29).
The 100-plus community members attending the Sound Transit community meeting in Tacoma Tuesday were unanimous that, at the very least, the B Street Ravine crossing should be on posts and beams and not on a berm.
That ravine is part of a wildlife corridor from the southern uplands north to the Foss Waterway. Though there are still two other barriers (Tacoma Rail tracks and 25th Street) in the ravine, berming for the new Sound Transit Sounder tracks would essentially seal off this ravine forever.
Berming would be contrary to re-establishing this wildlife corridor per the comprehensive plan for this area. The post-and-beam construction, with its small additional cost, would provide a better opportunity in the future to modify these other barriers, making an open corridor for wildlife and a trail for people from the McKinley Park area to the Foss Waterway.
The Dome District deserves a decent chance to become a vibrant business district around “The Transportation Hub” of Tacoma and the region, much like Spokane has now.
The Dome District group’s own independent engineering report indicates that constructing with posts and beams could be done more simply and inexpensively than Sound Transit estimates.
Tacoma should embrace preservation of vital urban open space to attract the new businesses and residents the city needs to become a model for sustainable urban growth and development.
---------------------------------
Here's the online link, where you can leave comments:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters/story/830566.html
---------------------------------
We urge you and others to write to The News Tribune, here's the email address to write to: letters@thenewstribune.com
The Tacoma Weekly has a Front Page page story written by John Larson in this weeks paper. Here's a link to the online article: http://www.tacomaweekly.com/article/3356
Please sign our Online Petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/844347001
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.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
On King 5 News!
KING 5 - News Story on June 24th
http://www.king5.com/localnews/south/stories/NW_062409WAB-tacoma-light-rail-KS.32c7e0a.html
The Sound Transit spokesperson says "they haven't made a final decision yet."
"There's still plenty of time for people to check out the project."
Other News:
Tacoma News Tribune / Word On The Street
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/street/?blog=57&title=new_blog_makes_the_case_against_sounder_&page=1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single
http://www.king5.com/localnews/south/stories/NW_062409WAB-tacoma-light-rail-KS.32c7e0a.html
The Sound Transit spokesperson says "they haven't made a final decision yet."
"There's still plenty of time for people to check out the project."
Other News:
Tacoma News Tribune / Word On The Street
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/street/?blog=57&title=new_blog_makes_the_case_against_sounder_&page=1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single
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