ALLIED ARTS :: WATERFRONT

URBAN ENVIRONMENT STAKEHOLDERS

Action Better City
Allied Arts
Sally and Brad Bagshaw, Downtown Seattle Residents
John Barber, Parks Advocate
Kristi Branch, Community Impact Assessment Specialist
Environmental Coalition of South Seattle
Feet First
Mary McCumber, Urban Planner
People for Puget Sound
1000 Friends of Washington
Transportation Choices Coalition
Washington Conservation Voters
Washington Environmental Council
Watermark Tower Residents Association

June 2, 2004

Allison Ray
Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project Office
999 Third Avenue, Suite 2424
Seattle, WA 98104

Mayor Greg Nickels
City Hall Building
600 Fourth Avenue, 2nd Floor
PO Box 94025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025

Jan Drago, Council President
600 Fourth Avenue, 2nd Floor
PO Box 94025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025

Ron Sims, KC Executive
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue, Room 400
Seattle, WA 98104

Larry Phillips, Chair
King County Council
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue, Room 1200
Seattle, WA 98104

Mic Dinsmore Port of Seattle
P.O. Box 1209
Seattle, WA 98111 /p> Linda Strout
Port of Seattle
P.O. Box 1209
Seattle, WA 98111

Doug McDonald
Washington State Secretary of Transportation
PO Box 47316
Olympia, WA 98504-7316

Doug Sutherland
Commissioner of Public Lands
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 47001
Olympia, WA 98504-7001

Dear Ms. Ray, Mayor Nickels, Councilmember Drago, Executive Sims, Councilmember Phillips, Ms. Strout, Mr. Dinsmore, Mr. McDonald, and Mr. Sutherland:

This is a joint letter from various stakeholders including Action Better City, Allied Arts, parks advocate John Barber, downtown Seattle residents Sally and Brad Bagshaw, community impact assessment specialist Kristi Branch, Environmental Coalition of South Seattle, Feet First, urban planner Mary McCumber, People For Puget Sound, Transportation Choices Coalition, Washington Environmental Council, Washington Conservation Voters, 1000 Friends of Washington and Watermark Tower Residents Board, regarding plans for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall. Many of us have responded separately to Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) invitation to review the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This letter offers an alternative roadmap for the viaduct and the waterfront.

We urge WSDOT and the City of Seattle to capitalize on this transportation opportunity to accomplish more than a multi-billion dollar rebuild of the cracking viaduct and aging seawall. We ask you to create through regional cooperation a newly revitalized waterfront, increase opportunities for people and goods to move through Seattle in a systemic way, and simultaneously improve our economy and environment. You are part of the visionary leadership who can help us create the next regional legacy.

The WSDOT DEIS was prepared after much work and public input. It offers five alternatives, none of which alone adequately addresses our region’s needs. We request that a sixth alternative be added that addresses the following six elements:

1. Transportation Big Picture
   To date WSDOT has focused on moving vehicles through the west edge of downtown Seattle. We suggest that an additional alternative be considered to include the following:
   • Remove the viaduct for safety reasons.
   • Evaluate components of the Central City Access Strategy as a baseline for all EIS alternatives. Determine which elements improve access and mobility for people and goods throughout the corridor, from the waterfront to and including I-5.
   • Include in all the alternatives, investments and strategies to expand capacity to move people and freight via the “Flexible Transportation Strategy” presented to the Leadership Group by Seattle Department of Transportation staff.
   • Evaluate the access, mobility, cost and environmental benefits of a four-lane tunnel with priced lanes, managed to eliminate congestion for high value trips.
   • Remove through-traffic from the waterfront surface. This can be accomplished in one of three ways:
   • A below-ground tunnel covered at least from the Stadium area to Battery Street;
   • Bore tunnels from the stadium area to north of Mercer;
   • Accommodation of people and freight with central city access and flexible transportation improvements.
   • We urge all three of these options be explored in open discussions. A broader evaluation of central city access and flexible transportation improvements could significantly mitigate construction impacts, improve access and mobility, and provide additional data to determine the ultimate size and cost efficiency of underground lanes.
   • Reduce the amount of concrete and asphalt on the waterfront. We recommend no more than two lanes each direction on Alaskan Way for local traffic.
   • Make the trolley more than a tourist item. Evaluate moving the trolley to Western, extend it past Pike Place Market, loop it to the south edge of the Seattle Center and to South Lake Union, and back downtown.
   • Provide safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists to and along the waterfront, with separate bike trail/lanes and pedestrian promenade.
   • Reduce costs as well as the amount of impervious surfaces by prioritizing the movement of people and freight, not vehicles.
   • Establish a predictable funding source for mass transportation alternatives. New multi-modal funding options will require coordinated legislative action.
   
   
2. Create a Waterfront for All with New Access and Open Spaces
   We urge WSDOT and the City of Seattle to work collaboratively with the Port of Seattle, King County, and the Department of Natural Resources to create a framework for authentic re-development of the neighborhood, such that we create a waterfront legacy. In particular we urge the following to be considered the highest priority in the project design:
   • Elliott Bay is the gem of the City. It’s been called the front porch, as well as an inviting kitchen. Make the health of and connection to Elliott Bay and the waterfront the focus of the new construction design, rather than an afterthought.
   • Knit the water with the land and the land with the water. Emphasize and dramatize the public views of Elliott Bay, and increase opportunities for all of us to touch the water.
   • Provide vibrant new public spaces including a major downtown park, pocket parks, bike paths, walking spaces along the waterfront. Make the waterfront accessible to all including the less mobile among us.
   
   
3. Create an Additional Economic Engine
   Revitalize the area by entering into public-private partnerships and provide more land for mixed-use development. This effort will create new taxable facilities where the viaduct is now. The economic impacts of an expanded program should be carefully considered and captured in the environmental analysis. Include in this analysis the following:
   ∑ Build mixed-use housing/businesses, restaurants, parks, and a grand pedestrian promenade gracing the waterfront from Pier 46 up to Victor Steinbrueck Park and over to Myrtle Edwards Park.
   ∑ Tie neighborhoods together with pedestrian access, retail opportunities, pathways, and by-ways. Respect and incorporate multi-cultural and multi-generational contributions into designs.
   ∑ Create a grand cascading design from Pike Place Market to waterfront to attract business and residential development, and expand tourist opportunities.
   ∑ Connect Stadium area and culture corners (Symphony, Art, and Library) with Olympic Sculpture Park at Myrtle Edwards Park via pedestrian walkways and separate bikeways.
   
4. Prioritize Environmental Stewardship
   Environmental stewardship requires a strong vision and economic will. Embracing the vision now will improve habitat for salmon and other fish, as well as marine mammals, on the waterside. This will ultimately improve conditions for us all. Native landscaping on the landside can provide improved riparian habitat, improved soil conditions, and offer new gathering places for people on the landside. In particular we recommend:
   • Improve the health of Elliott Bay. Restore the habitat and water quality.
   • Keep vehicle-oriented impervious surfaces on and near the waterfront to a minimum.
   • Increase green landscaping, pocket parks and walking promenade. Bring water to land and land to water to improve environment and biosphere.
   • Utilize water as a landscape feature. Capture, expose to daylight, clean and use water run-off to improve marine health.
   
   
5. Expand the Working Waterfront
   The Seattle waterfront is a vibrant working waterfront. It is key to Seattle’s prestige and economic viability among world-class cities. We encourage continued regional cooperation with the Port of Seattle, King County, and Department of Natural Resources to develop the waterfront in an environmentally sensitive and economically vital manner. The mixed use of ferries, tugs, cruise ships, container and grain ships, commercial and pleasure boats should be developed in a clear phased-in regional plan.
   • Increase and expand a passenger-only ferry system to downtown allowing mosquito fleets to make connections from Magnolia, Downtown, West Seattle, Port properties, Bainbridge and beyond.
   • Improve way-finding for tourists from the cruise ship terminals into central downtown.
   • If the Port and City ultimately consider alternatives to the Pier 46 Hanjin site, develop a mixed-use habitat friendly facility.
   
   
6. Connect Seattle Neighborhoods
   • The Waterfront should capitalize on our unique Seattle neighborhoods, connecting the neighborhoods from Queen Anne, Belltown, Downtown, West Edge (University Steps), Pioneer Square/Yesler and stadium areas.
   • Build an improved network of east-west and north-south connections using flexible public transportation choices, culminating at water-accessible or view points on the waterfront, and where appropriate echoing or rebuilding in the nature of historical Seattle elements.
   • Neighborhood connections will encourage cohesive, small-scale multi-use buildings for businesses and residential purposes to the waterfront. Where land is developable, emphasis should be on narrow, low-rise buildings capitalizing on light and views of the water.

Conclusion
We have before us an opportunity to recreate a vital urban center along the Seattle waterfront. We ask you to join us in evaluating an elegant, affordable “people and salmon-friendly” alternative that focuses on moving people and freight, not cars. We, the undersigned stakeholders call upon you, our regional leaders, to help us create this 100-year legacy. Please join us in making our vision a reality.

Cc: King County Councilmembers
Seattle City Councilmembers
WSDOT Viaduct Leadership Group