City Council makes a monorail pledge

Tuesday, September 16, 2003

By KERY MURAKAMI
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

With questions surrounding the monorail authority's finances, Seattle City Council members yesterday pledged not to let the project begin construction without "substantial evidence" the entire 14-mile line would be completed.

The move came after the Seattle Monorail Project acknowledged its sole source of money -- the 1.4 percent Motor Vehicle Excise Tax increase approved by Seattle voters in November -- is taking in less than expected.

"We're not going to let them do things like tear down the existing monorail or tear up our streets if we don't have the comfort they're going to finish the project," said City Councilman Nick Licata.

For the project to continue, the council must approve the monorail's route and the location of its stations, and grant authority to build on city property next spring. In addition to examining the project's finances, the resolution also requires the council to hold public hearings on the final route and the sequence in which the Ballard-to-West Seattle line is built.

The Building Owners and Managers Association and the Downtown Seattle Association had wanted guarantees the authority would build the ends of the line in Ballard and West Seattle first. They did not want downtown disrupted until it became clear the authority could build the entire line. But they backed off in return for the public hearings.

Licata acknowledged that the city may be sued if it denies the measures the authority needs, given that the project was approved by voters. However, Seattle Monorail Project spokesman Paul Bergman said the council does have the power to deny permission to go ahead.

Bergman, though, said the authority will work through the financial questions and the council would not have to block the project. He said the authority supports the resolution.

The council yesterday also unanimously approved changes the monorail authority needed -- including waiving height limits for stations in Ballard and West Seattle. The council also waived required setbacks, which would have left a 20-foot gap between the edge of the platform and the monorail tracks. The land code changes also streamlined the city's permitting process for the project.

The Building Owners and Managers Association and the Downtown Seattle Association had initially opposed the changes because of the authority's financial questions. But they backed the changes in return for the assurances in the resolution.

P-I reporter Kery Murakami can be reached at 206-448-8131 or kerymurakami@seattlepi.com

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