Cascadia Report

Running for Seattle City Council

Update: A lot has happened since this post was published in 2011. I lost my election, focused on my family, and became a U.S. diplomat posted to Mexico, Vietnam, India, Somalia, and Kenya. Some thoughts along the way were captured at www.bradmeacham.com. But I remain firmly rooted in Cascadia and believe many others think of the region in a similar way. I've maintained this site in the hopes that it would grow when the time was right. Join me!

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After years of reporting and opining about this region, it's time to act: I'm running for Seattle City Council.

I'm a Seattle native and I believe my city isn't living up to its potential at the heart of Cascadia. We’re hindered by poor decision-making and political infighting, while posturing on the city council costs taxpayers and threatens our future. Becoming a parent made me realize that I could either hope for things to get better or take on the challenge myself. 

Here's the gist of my platform. Let's create modern urban neighborhoods where people want to live and work, where growth and density are incentivized with sidewalks and other amenities, fast internet, and vibrant businesses. Let's connect these neighborhoods with transit so residents don't need a car. Let's make the city inclusive and care for those who are currently being left behind.

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I don't have all the answers. I am interested in good ideas and in finding ways to work together to bring them to life. Please follow my campaign and share your thoughts. This blog will remain, of course, and you can find me at www.bradmeacham.com.

Argument against another Seattle airport

Sea-Tac's third runway just opened , after two decades and a billion dollars. Now some say the Seattle area needs another airport.

But we're better off encouraging a single major airport (especially if it's conveniently connected to high-speed rail for Vancouver-Portland travelers). Consider Heathrow and this letter from the Economist:

SIR – The Economist noted that since 1990 the route network at Heathrow has decreased, while transfer traffic has increased (“The right side of the argument”, November 8th). However, the subsequent claim that transfer passengers are of limited economic value is incorrect. It is in fact evidence of the market forces caused by a capacity-constrained airport.

Slots at Heathrow trade for up to £25m ($37m), clear evidence that given new capacity, the network would grow. Until Heathrow is permitted additional capacity, airlines will understandably make the rational, economic decision to focus the limited slots available to them on the most profitable routes. This is tenable in the short term, but over the long term Britain’s economy will suffer from not being able to offer direct links to cities in the growing economies of India and China. Around two-thirds of routes at Heathrow are supported by transfer passengers who make up 25-40% of the people who fly on them. Without these passengers, major business destinations such as Bangalore, Chennai and Seattle would all disappear.

It is naive to think transfer passengers do not offer any wider economic benefits—the direct, global links that these passengers support are Britain’s gateway to the world economy. Heathrow is Britain’s only hub airport and a vital economic asset. If Heathrow is to stay in the global league, then a third runway is vital to keep it, and by extension Britain, competitive.

Extend the streetcar line now

I stopped by a forum on the proposed extensions of Seattle's streetcar yesterday afternoon -- and heard more objections to the idea of a citywide network than vision to make such a system work.

At question is the idea of extending Seattle's stunted 1.3-mile line to actually go somewhere. It could be a viable transportation system that would encourage development and make owning and driving a car in the city less essential.

Financing and design are legitimate obstacles that can be solved. Public support will follow -- just as in Toronto and countless other cities where streetcars are commonplace.

What we shouldn't do is talk this issue to death at endless public forums. I didn't hear one concern that couldn't be met. Losing parking on local streets? More people will take streetcars and walk. Cannibalizing bus service? We need to invest in more, better bus service too. One man talked about efficient express bus service in Vancouver as an example of what we should do. Fine, but that and streetcars aren't mutually exclusive.

By all means, get citizen input on the route and design. Then let's build it.

Which buildings should we save

It's easy to argue that one of Seattle's darkest days was when the Music Hall theater was destroyed downtown to make way for a parking lot.

But it's usually harder to define what buildings deserve protection. There are a few ideas in this article in the Seattle P-I.

One point in the comment thread made sense to me:

Rather our approach to "preservation", why not adopt a simple "ancient light" law. If a window has had sunlight for 50 (let's say) or more years then that sunlight can not be taken away. Period, it works in other cities.

Giving praise where it's due

If you're curious about what kind of development will shape Seattle's future, increasingly the one place to turn for free, timely information is The Stranger's blog.

At a time when metropolitan dailies like The Seattle Times are almost giving up on coverage of neighborhoods, the blog is a huge help to anyone who cares about Cascadia's biggest city but can't be a full-time gadfly.

Here a few random recent posts:

Today's examines plans for major growth along the new light rail line.

Coverage of in-fill in single-family neighborhoods.

A glimpse of an iconic tower that may alter the skyline.

Coverage of the design for one of the city's first "subway" stations.

Dubious plans for Amazon's new headquarters the booming South Lake Union neighborhood.

While I've been away

This site has been on temporary hiatus recently while I've been spending time with the Municipal League of King County, a nonpartisan group that aims make public policy in the Seattle area more efficient.

Check out me wearing my Municipal League hat in this interview on Comcast:

The event I mention is the League's annual Civic Awards. This year's is at the Olympic Sculpture Park on April 24.

It's time to charge for road use

I published an op-ed in the Seattle Times today advocating variable pricing for roads as a method to lessen congestion.

The idea of charging more during crowded times and less when fewer cars are on the road is nothing new to me (see this and this). But it's a big deal that the Municipal League, a venerable nonpartisan good-government group, is now on board. Here's from the piece:

In the past, tolls have been imposed to support construction of major projects. We at the Municipal League of King County support a broader use of tolling to increase traffic flow through congested corridors, while at the same time recovering costs from those using the roads. This is how we price other goods and services when there is limited supply.

As I mention, there are plenty of details to be worked out. The key, as I wrote, is providing alternatives so that additional fees are fair and that everyone benefits. That means adding enough buses, making them faster and more frequent so that transit is a viable alternative.

The key is balancing the market so that transit is a realistic option. Right now we're massively subsidizing travel in single-occupant vehicles. A smart pricing system would make better use of infrastructure and have the positive benefits I mention in the article.

Coming soon: Seattle-Northern B.C. connection

Seattle is about to get its first nonstop flights to northern British Columbia -- another step toward integrating Cascadia.

Alaska Airlines will fly to Prince George, a city 500 miles north of Vancouver at the heart of B.C. timber and mining industry. Unless you like looong drives, the only way to get there now is on the three daily Air Canada flights from YVR.

The convenience almost makes me pine for the days when I was a reporter covering Weyerhaueser and the cross-border timber industry.

More importantly, it suggests that there's demand for this sort of regional travel. The news slipped by while I was dizzy about new nonstops to China, Germany, Mexico and France.

Fed up with cattle class? Try yoga to China

If you like in-flight yoga, it's a good day. You'll soon be able to fly nonstop to China from Seattle on an airline that offers that amenity.

The new flight to Beijing on Hainan Airlines is the latest increase between the two countries and the latest of several new international offerings from Sea-Tac. This one is probably a boost for tourism and some business travelers.

But flights four times a week hardly makes Seattle the Cascadia gateway for the China market. Vancouver has daily nonstops to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong -- with 30 a week to Hong Kong alone.

Rail deal a big step toward mobility

The Seattle area took a big step toward better mobility with a deal to put a railroad line through the Eastside under public ownership.

The old freight line is the only unused corridor straight through the booming suburbs, so preventing it from being sold in pieces was step one. Now there needs to be a plan to add transit and a trail, in conjunction with tolling on the existing roads.

Most important, the region needs to encourage future demand for transportation to grow around this corridor. Transit shouldn't simply serve the density that exists now. After all, today's Eastside grew up around structures that were planned in the 1950s.

Don't think the rail route would work as transportation? A project in Bellevue was announced just this week that would locate thousands of residents and workers within walking distance. In Renton the route could be connected to the Sounder trains, light rail and density near Southcenter. In the north, the corridor serves Woodinville and Snohomish -- booming areas where focusing development around transit infrastructure makes more sense than massive new roads.

Consider this report about one way transit could be added sooner rather than later.

Doing right thing for the waterfront (finally)

Politicians and media appear to be coming around (finally) to the idea that Seattle's waterfront viaduct shouldn't be replaced with another freeway.

Cascadia Report made the case last winter for a combination of transit and comprehensive street improvements to replace the earthquake-damaged eyesore. Gov. Gregoire and Mayor Nickels were among those who poo-pooed the idea by insisting that any replacement had to accommodate the same number of vehicles as the current viaduct.

Now, Gregoire has changed her mind. Several agencies have pledged to work together for a comprehensive fix. Today even the Seattle Times editorial board -- a mostly suburban group that generally supports roads over transit -- came out in favor of transit + road fixes.

It's about time. Now let's get to work on a long-term fix that values the waterfront heart of the region's biggest metro area.

Death and life of great cities

A few weeks ago, during a long weekend in New York, I found myself wandering Manhattan on a Monday. All the usual museums were closed so I tried a small gem of an exhibit on the life and accomplishments of Jane Jacobs.

Jacobs is the activist who helped save swaths of Manhattan from freeways and urban renewal through the 1960s. She's often credited with the basic idea that walkable neighborhoods inhabited by residents are healthier than impersonal housing projects on "super blocks."

It's a great lesson that's been internalized by planners worldwide. But I couldn't help think the pendulum has swung too far. Instead of protesting for strong neighborhoods it seems neighborhood activism -- often under the guise of Jacobs' lessons -- is simply against development, period.

This describes Seattle, where investment in new buildings in a close-in neighborhood is scorned. The Seattle P-I wrote in sympathy of neighbors of a University District coffee shop who didn't want a parking lot developed because a new building would cast shade on a patio! Never mind the benefit of more residents, workers or customers in the neighborhood. Of course, there's also some backlash to development in Portland and Vancouver.

Even in New York, the protest and NIMBY movement is strong. I choose to remember the row of old two-story buildings being torn down in favor of the Santiago Calatrava-designed transit hub. Instead of hand-wringing, the New York Post brushed off concerns of the tenants, calling the buildings "scuzzy."

So where's the middle ground? I'd vote for transparent development rules and design review. But most important is leadership that can make a clear case for what the city gains from development.

Critics of tall Seattle buildings have it backward

Critics of plans for taller buildings in Seattle's South Lake Union area have it exactly backward.

If anything, the city should encourage more building in the area, creating demand for transit rather than encouraging sprawl. Instead critics want to soak the developer to pay more into a fund to create "affordable" housing.

Now, zoning in the area requires special permission to build even 12 stories. Why not require that buildings be at least that tall? Set design review standards, sure. But let's build the workplaces for thousands of employees and new residents.

What's wrong with a supposedly sweetheart deal between developers and the mayor, as long as the city gains? Among the benefits: More housing supply in the city should lower overall prices and make transportation options feasible.

Of course the city should negotiate to get the best terms in this area, but better those rules be streamlined and transparent to encourage more, better building instead of hinder it. Unfortunately the potential benefits are totally lost in today's story and the reader comments.

Urban planning overlooked in Seattle

The booming Seattle area is struggling to define itself. That's why it's curious that urban design seems overlooked in the latest regional awards by the American Institute of Architects.

For last Monday's ceremony there were nearly 200 entries for designs, from residential to industrial. But in the category of urban planning: nothing, not a single one for built or unbuilt work. (There was also nothing for historical preservation.)

Here's how our tipster put it:

In a city that's bursting at the seams, with the number of public projects that have been proposed, shot down, restarted, re-voted on -- how is there nothing in the urban design category? Scary.

Surely the numbers partly reflect who's commissioning the projects. That makes rewarding quality design even more important.

From one dark place to another -- nonstop

A day after the onslaught of standard time, it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to fly nonstop to Germany. But thanks to Lufthansa at least Seattleites (and anyone doing international business) will have the option.

The Sea-Tac-to-Franfurt nonstop announced today is the latest increase in air service since the Port of Seattle lowered its fees to attract more routes. That's the right sort of subsidy -- a targeted incentive that mulitplies the economic benefit. Recent new flights include to Mexico City and Paris.

There were rumors that Sea-Tac was courting a nonstop to Munich (Vancouver and Portland already have Frankfurt flights -- Portland, thanks to a package of tourism incentives). Lest anyone misconstrue the addition, note that Lufthansa also announced a host of new flights from Canada today.

When the flights begin in March, Seattle may enjoy the best connections to Europe it's ever had. (True, Aeroflot ended its nonstop to Moscow. But Sea-Tac will have daily scheduled service to five business centers: London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Copenhagen.)

B.C. plan could actually cut gas emissions

Seattle announced Monday that it managed to cut emissions of greenhouse gases over the last 15 years. Too bad emissions from cars are bound to continue rising.

Meanwhile in British Columbia there's serious talk of a policy that could really make a difference: a carbon tax. The proposal would shift taxes to give incentives for lower emissions. It seems a lot more effective than just encouraging everyone to ride bicycles.

Washington and the Seattle area need to think along the same lines. This report includes a chart of Seattle's pollution sources and how hard it will be to make more progress. Next steps should be replacing the viaduct with transit and better streets and then nudging the region toward a more sustainable transportation network.

Wanted at Sea-Tac: Pride of place

How does Seattle greet visitors? If they get off a flight at Sea-Tac's gate N-15, the answer is with a dingy jetway that has a severely waterstained ceiling, discolored walls and wet wood between the floor joints.

The dark and crowded North Satellite terminal was a jarring change after my recent flight from the airy, modern facility in Toronto. Luckily flights from Canada clear U.S. customs before they take off so at least those passengers can avoid Sea-Tac's 70s-era international arrivals area in the South Satellite.

Sea-Tac's embarrassment is about more than aesthetics. With its new facilities, Vancouver is wooing Seattle fliers and more business because airlines prefer its new terminal. Each flight means thousands of dollars in economic benefit on the ground.

There's a comprehensive plan to remodel Sea-Tac -- eventually. There also are examples of how to use the space more efficiently. It wouldn't hurt to start with basics.

Why I'm voting for Transit and Roads

The tax package to fund transit and roads in the greater Seattle area, known as Prop. 1, is a compromise: there are details for everyone to hate. I may be holding my nose, but I'm voting yes.

Consider what the measure does: it raises $10.8 billion to add light rail, HOV lanes, streetcars, park-and-rides and other transit infrastructure. It also generates $7 billion to fix some road choke points and complete several missing links in the region's network, for example connecting 509 and 167 to I-5. It's far from the sole solution, but it's a start.

For more info, take a look at this map.

What would be better? Funding much more transit, completing the projects much faster and explicitly including congestion pricing in the financing mix. In fact, the most persuasive argument against the measure is that any investment in roads lessens incentives for transit and worsens global warming.

But politics is reality. There's a huge backlog of infrastructure projects in the region and chipping away at it takes regional buy-in -- a process that in this case took five years. The dense areas of the region can't afford to pay for all the transit this area needs (remember the monorail?). To build support, there needs to be something for people who help pay but wouldn't directly benefit. Even with this package, congestion will still create a growing incentive to use transit; as alternatives start becoming available policies can be shifted to encourage even more use.

Assuming the measure passes, the next step should be reorganizing the governments that oversee the region's transportation to execute more efficiently. There will still be chances during the planning process to modifiy specific projects. These are all big challenges, not deal breakers.

Writing that captures the city

There's a nice elegy in the Seattle P-I today marking the 25th anniversary of the death of the poet Richard Hugo.

The author of "The Real West Marginal Way" captured the city in a way that may not be possible now that the area is more grown up. That makes his contribution more worth remembering than ever.

One place that builds on his example is the Hugo House literary center (where I serve on the board). From the P-I piece:

Most of all, Hugo, our hometown poet, tells us that writing matters: "It's a way of saying you and the world have a chance." In these past 25 years, multitudes of writers working in all sorts of genres have gathered in Seattle. We're now not only a bookish city, we're a city where the raw ore of language is formed into literature. All along the ridges and valleys, writers are working away, word by word, creating the drafts that we'll see later caught between the smooth, glimmering covers of books. It's the kind of industry that would have impressed Richard Hugo.

Making a city for residents, not tourists

I just noticed this article in Vancouver magazine, pointing out the need to make the city serve its residents rather than just tourists, planners and the people who create "most-livable city" lists.

The writer finds fault with Vancouver's regional government system (exactly what Seattle lacks):

One of the biggest obstacles is political: planners are king here because our politicians allow them to be. Our at-large municipal system—unlike the ward system, with defined constituencies, which you find in most major cities—gives a free pass to city councillors. We select our council from a list of 100-plus candidates every three years, and they thank us by answering to “the city at large”—not to the widower in Strathcona trying to save the local seniors’ centre from destruction, not to the South Main sculptor trying to find a spot for his public art, not to the young couple in Yaletown trying to get a playground built near their condo. Such quotidian concerns become the domain of bureaucrats and enforcers, while politicians turn their attention to the “big picture” stuff like EcoDensity, Civil City and the Olympics.

By contrast, the Seattle area has the worst of both worlds. The Seattle city council is elected city wide (so they're not accountable to neighborhoods) yet there's no effective regional government.

Cost of driving makes ferry feasible

A boat owner wants to start ferrying commuters between Seattle and Gig Harbor for $800 a month.

The reason the idea isn't totally laughable is that new tolls, increasing road congestion and higher gas prices are beginning to reflect the actual cost of driving:

Dividing $800 by 20 workdays a month comes out to $40 a day. He said with the price of gas, the tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and parking in downtown Seattle, the ferry wouldn't be much more expensive than driving — and a lot less stressful.

A transit system that makes a profit

The Seattle area needs a variety of measures to fix its transportation woes (light rail, buses, streetcars, etc). Never mind that many people are waiting for a perfect, inexpensive, painless solution.

Instead, consider what works in Amsterdam:

Within the center of Amsterdam, trams are the kings of the roads; there are very few bus lines that travel strictly within the center, and parking is a hassle, discouraging driving. Taking the tram is easy because of the multitude of lines, speed, comfort, frequency, and affordable price.

Providing a practical alternative to driving alone (and lessening the incentives for driving) has led to increasing ridership, fewer accidents and -- get this -- a transit system that's even profitable. Of course, they had to start somewhere.

Ending homeless in Vancouver, Seattle

Seattle doesn't have anything like the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver's slum of addicts and homeless. But judging from the line outside a shelter on Belltown's 3rd Avenue Sunday, there's a serious poverty problem.

So what to do about it?

We could lament the disconnect between the poor on the streets and the rich inhabitants of new condo towers.

Prefer solutions? The Tyee ran a list of five ideas suggested recently in British Columbia. The ideas in the comment string seemed more promising (Evo Morales aside).

Consider instead King County's plan, which recognizes that money is only part of the solution and chances of upending modern capitalism are slim.

How to fix Seattle Center (and help Bumbershoot)

Pumping some new life into the Bumbershoot festival should be incentive for fixing the outmoded Seattle Center, the main park in the middle of the city.

Yes, some of this year's shows were great. On Saturday I loved The Gourds at Mural Amphitheater ("Starbucks Stage") and The Moth at Bagley Wright Theater. But The Shins' show suffered from awful sound in Memorial Stadium -- not to mention a lack of drinking water and super-strict airport-style crowd control.

At risk of sounding like a geezer, I have to say it used to be better. For $5 you could spend the day chancing across new music and art, plus maybe catch a great headliner. I'll always remember hearing Miles Davis at the old Opera House in 1987.

This year the walk-up tickets were $35, which kept the crowds in check. While fighting the economics of the music business is probably a lost cause, we can rejuvenate the place by remodeling the Seattle Center. (There's a simple summary of the options on this story.)

What can be done? Replace Memorial Stadium with a real amphitheater, replace the Fun Forest with usable green space, retool Key Arena and modernize the Center House. But don't stop there. Let's make the place accessible by running the new streetcar from South Lake Union past the Seattle Center to the existing line on the waterfront.

Extra open space, some better facilities and more efficient access would go a long way toward restoring the Seattle Center and Bumbershoot. That might even make them better than ever.

Don't forget to vote

Tuesday is the primary election in Washington. Since I've been asked, here's how I voted.

For Seattle-area races, take a look at the Municipal League's ratings. I considered the League ratings (I participated in the final ratings), media reports and my own views:

Seattle City Council -- I'm looking for new ideas and signs that a candidate can actually build consensus and take action. Challenger Joe Szwaja in Position 1 and Venus Velazquez for the open seat in Position 3 seem most promising.

Port of Seattle -- The Port needs more stringent oversight, which led me to pick Gael Tarleton (who has a financial-management background) for Position 2 over incumbent Bob Edwards. In Position 5, incumbent Alec Fisken has been a tenacious agitator for transparency so deserves another term.

King County Prop. 1 and Prop. 2 -- I'm a huge fan of parks and zoos, which would benefit from these property tax measures. But I don't support the mechanism behind them. Parks and zoos aren't the lowest priority of county residents so shouldn't be the also-ran issues that the government puts on the ballot almost as afterthought. I don't want to be asked about funding every government priority -- we elect representatives to weigh priorities and to make the case for more overall funding if that's required. These levies continue a bad habit.

Why everybody's building transit

As big votes on whether to fund more transit in the Seattle area loom this fall, consider this: It seems everybody else is doing it.

Planners in San Francisco want to give people alternatives to driving, including more train, ferry and bus service. Even Vancouver, Wash., may add streetcars. Tacoma already said it's looking at a citywide streetcar system.

This kind of improvements should be made in tandem with gradually adding tolls on existing roads to encourage more efficient behavior. As long as there are alternatives, tolls won't penalize people with less income. Gradually changing behavior is part of the solution to gridlock.

The San Francisco Chronicle quotes the head of that area's transit planning agency this way: "There's no one silver bullet in dealing with congestion."

The best news in years: Feds to fund tolls

Seattle just got its best transportation-related news in years. Now state policy makers must act.

Seattle beat more than 20 metro areas competing for a federal grant to fund innovative solutions to traffic gridlock. Being named one of the five recipients means money to start tolling on 520, new buses, improvements to park and rides and better ferry service on Puget Sound.

The grant requires King County to have tolling on 520 in place by 2009 or it will lose almost all of the $139 million. Of course tolls should be phased in immediately in order to gradually build the incentive for lifestyle changes required to keep the region moving. (And don't forget providing alternatives.)

Though officials reportedly welcomed the news, the state legislature still has to approve the concept of tolling on 520. But instead of explaining what's at stake, today's Seattle Times oddly emphasizes the "irritated motorists" who won't want to pay to cross the bridge and even quotes a critic of congestion pricing. Another quote says the federal grant means this fall's ballot measures to fund transit and road improvements shouldn't pass.

The fact is that people will adjust, as we saw just this week on I-5. The region needs major transportation investments and starting tolling asap is a key step to making them wisely.

What to do about the Sonics

It's a shame that the Sonics appear destined to leave Seattle after their stadium lease expires. So what to do?

Considering the benefit of having pro sports (like great theater, music, restaurants, etc.), it makes sense for some public investment in a stadium. But any deal should be off if the owners are happy to leave this prosperous area for a smaller market.

Instead, this column suggests we treat them with Uptight Seattle politeness:

You know what I'm talking about. We've got to fight back with our strength. Let's give these oily Okies a three-year blast of the Seattle Freeze.

For you fans, that means: Be polite but aloof. If invited to a Sonics game, say you were thinking of going hiking. Don't really go hiking. Don't go to the game either. Be maddeningly noncommittal.

For civic leaders, if you run into an Oklahoma oilman, smile without showing any teeth. Say "let's get together sometime." Don't return calls.

If they make demands, appoint a blue-ribbon commission. If they get impatient, talk earnestly about the process. Use the terms "inclusivity" and "community stakeholders."

Road closes and life goes on

For months, Seattle-area residents have been warned that the partial closure of northbound I-5 leading to downtown would result in an apocalyptic traffic jam stretching all the way to Tacoma. Instead commuters taught the region a lesson.

What happened? As the P-I put it, "looks like a little planning goes a long way." People adjusted by finding alternate routes, taking transit or working remotely. Traffic sailed by on the two open lanes of I-5, buses and the Sounder trains (including an extra run added for the 19-day closure) were at full capacity. Apparently alternate roads were busy but far from gridlocked.

The clear takeaway is that people are more flexible than they think. In this case, there is a strong incentive (not wasting hours in traffic) to find alternatives. It's exactly what would happen if the viaduct freeway were replaced with a combination of better transit and a more efficient network of surface streets. It's exactly what would happen if there were tolls based on the amount of congestion on the roads. As long as there are effective alternatives (like far more transit, better carpool lanes) people will take them.

Questions about port rivalry

News that one of Seattle's oldest port customers is moving to Tacoma brought a variety of reactions. And unanswered questions.

The Port of Seattle seemed alarmed, saying Tacoma's wooing of NYK Line put the relationship between the ports at risk. Today Bill Virgin notes that, if they can't cooperate, maybe Tacoma should take over Seattle's port.

A few remaining questions:

-- If NYK Line (or another company) wants to operate its own piers, why does Seattle keep its arrangement with operator SSA?

-- What does the deal cost Tacoma? Reportedly the project is $300 million, which may include building costs for any port tenant. What will the NYK arrangement cost taxpayers?

-- What's the competitive advantage of Tacoma (or Seattle) versus other ports along the West Coast? Seattle has been losing business and Tacoma's recent gain is Seattle's futher loss. Both will have to answer that question to beat regional rivals.

I'd like to see the region's mainstream media tackle those questions next.

Running a global business from Cascadia

Getty Images is moving some of its headquarters functions from Seattle to New York City, reportedly because it's easier to do some international business there.

It begs the question: Is operating a global business from the Northwest a hardship? Nintendo plans to move. Six years ago, the departure of Boeing's headquarters was blamed partly on the difficulty of doing business from Seattle.

Yes, global firms like Microsoft, Weyerhaueuser, Starbucks and Paccar somehow muddle through. But maybe there's a wake-up call for the region in the latest moves.

Seattle-area candidate ratings released

There are several mild surprises in the Municipal League's ratings of candidates for 26 races in the Seattle area.

The annual nonpartisan ratings, released Tuesday, are based on four criteria: Knowledge, Involvement, Effectiveness and Character. They assess each candidate's potential to be effective in office and ability to serve the community. They don't consider political affiliations or stands on particular issues.

I'm a trustee of the League so I'll just pass on the news, including a few upsets:

-- At the Port of Seattle, challengers Jack Block Jr. and Gael Tarleton got Outstanding ratings while incumbent Bob Edwards was rated Good. Commissioner Alec Fisken got an Outstanding while challenger William Bryant got a Very Good.

-- For Seattle City Council position 1, incumbent Jean Godden got a Good, the same as challenger Joe Swaja. For position 7, challenger Tim Burgess got an Outstanding while incumbent David Della got a Very Good.

The rest of the results and complete definitions of the ratings are posted here.

This year's ratings are the result of the work of more than 60 citizens who studied the public record, reviewed candidate questionnaires, checked references and conducted live interviews with the candidates. (As a League trustee, I was one of the people who reviewed the ratings.)

Solving Seattle's housing crunch

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels wants to give more tax breaks to developers to encourage them to build moderately priced housing. But there are better ways to make housing affordable.

The mayor's plan would expand tax breaks for developers who build homes for people who earn middle-income wages. That's a well-intentioned step to meet a legitimate need.

Instead the city would be better off encouraging significantly larger buildings, especially along transit corridors. Why not allow 25-story condos in places where there's good infrastructure and they don't overwhelm neighbors? How about along I-5 near the UW, on major corners of Capitol Hill and next to the light rail station in the Rainier Valley? On this issue, even Federal Way is ahead of Seattle.

Other critical steps are improving in-city transit to serve those buildings and then making neighbohoods more walkable. Expand the streetcar and bus system (and replace the Viaduct with busways) so people can more easily survive without a car. If a middle-class family of four could survive with one car or no car, suddenly Seattle would be a lot more affordable.

It won't be easy to build support for these changes, even though more housing supply would lower prices for middle-income and poorer residents. The city would need to guarantee good design, which hasn't been the case with cookie-cutter townhomes overtaking some neighborhoods.

What's clear is that cutting property taxes starves the city of resources to provide services like parks, police and transit. Even so it's far from clear that extra tax credits would be enough to lure more development.

What Vancouver can learn about rail building

Seattle's nascent light rail line was showered with praise this week -- in Vancouver.

The reason is the $50 million fund set up to help businesses impacted by construction of the light rail line through the Rainier Valley. Apparently there's no such support for business during construction of the Canada Line, which will connect downtown Vancouver, the airport and Richmond.

It's odd to hear praise of Seattle's transit efforts from Vancouver, which has had rail transit for more than two decades and is considering building a fourth line. But a representative of a Vancouver neighborhood suggested B.C.'s free-market loving government might support a Seattle-style fund: "It's a classic American approach," he said. "It's seen as an economic initiative to ensure a tax base, not as a handout. I thought the Campbell government might embrace this approach."

Seattle's Rainier Valley has been showered with support during the rail project, ever since the decision was made years ago to build that section at-grade instead of underground. Just wait until the surge of newcomers and gentrification when the line opens in 2009.

Seattle's latest shot at China flights

An airline that offers only business class seats wants to start flights between Seattle and Shanghai, a surprise entry in the race for more connections to China.

Beginning in 2009, MaxJet would fly to Seattle and on to Los Angeles. The airline faces stiff competition from other U.S. airlines -- at least seven applications have been filed for a handfull of flights allowed under a U.S.-China treaty, according to AviationWeek.

Seattle wants nonstop connections to China to jumpstart business and tourism. Meanwhile Vancouver has daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. This month a new airlines started nonstops between Hong Kong and Vancouver, meaning there are now 30 flights a week on that route.

Density coming to the suburbs

Suburban Federal Way picked a Vancouver developer to build a residential, retail and office complex with 22-story towers in its new downtown.

The project will bring more than 900 housing units to an area known for sprawling parking lots. Judging from images in the article above, the development will have character similar to those in British Columbia. If done well, the project could help wear down resistance to the idea of residential towers in the Seattle area.

More housing supply also will help meet growing demand, especially now that Federal Way's single-family neighborhoods are developed, and provide a market for better transit.

Seattle backsliding on bicycle plans

Take a quick spin around north Seattle by bicycle on a Sunday afternoon and you'll find missing links in bike routes, bike paths that abruptly end and almost 100 percent preference for cars along roads and at intersections.

For the clearest example of bicyles taking a lower priority look at Fremont, where the Burke-Gilman bike trail was supposed to reopen this month after a year-long closure.

Instead the city suddenly agreed to extend the closure for another year. The reason? The neighborhood's top landowner apparently just started construction on an office building and doesn't want bicyclists nearby.

The change is one sign of backsliding on plans to make bicycling more practical. Evidence is piling up to suggest that Seattle is gutting its new bicycling master plan. For a study in contrasts, consider what Paris is planning.

All commuters should demand Seattle do better. A sudden route closure wouldn't be allowed if it blocked car lanes. Delaying better bicycle infrastructure simply makes it harder for the city to accommodate more people without adding to congestion.

Private investors right about rail corridor

A government plan that would close the door on transit in a rail corridor through Seattle's eastern suburbs is such a bad idea that private investors are reportedly considering a bid for the property.

The corridor -- from Renton to Snohomish -- could serve as a key link in the region's future transportation network as the city grows around it. It should be upgraded and connected to projects like the Sounder commuter rail in Tukwila and the proposed light rail line from Seattle to Redmond. A bike path also could be constructed along much of the route.

This rail-to-trail deal stokes frustration about the Seattle area's too little, too late approach to transportation, for example in this op-ed. What's missing is a plan to make it pay (hint: put tolls on 405 and beef up transit to compensate). What's upsetting is that the public sector isn't taking a lead on this vision.

New container port gets funding

While infrastructure bottlenecks constrain shipping at Cascadia ports, plans are moving ahead for a brand-new container facility -- one big enough to eventually handle as much freight as Tacoma's.

Oregon's legislature recently approved a $60 million package to dredge the harbor at Coos Bay over the next five years. The funding hinges on a major shipping company commiting to operate there. The Oregonian called the prospect "an economic dream come true."

Though hurdles remain, the deal is the latest sign of more competion for ports in Vancouver, Seattle and Tacoma. It should underscore the need for more efficiency at existing ports and for transportation improvements to keep freight moving.

The Coos Bay project reportedly includes a new jetty and $250-$750 million in terminals, rail infrastructure, a container yard, docks and wharves. Eventually it could handle 2 million 20-foot-long containers, roughly the volume at the Port of Tacoma.

Losing out on the China travel market

Sea-Tac hosted the signing of the latest U.S.-China air treaty yesterday, but it's unlikely to host flights between the countries anytime soon.

So the question for Seattle is whether courting a Chinese carrier makes more sense than waiting to lure a top-flight international airline. Both Hainan Airlines and Shanghai Airlines reportedly have had talks with Seattle about starting flights, and Hainan has considered linking with Alaska Airlines for connections in the U.S.

Of course Seattle should pursue all comers to expand international service, in order to remain competitive and capitalize on visiblity around the 2010 Olympics. It should seek a Chinese carrier and continue courting major international carriers that would offer this region a premium network, for example a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong. Note that Vancouver offers daily nonstops to three Chinese cities on a range of airlines.

Any nonstop would help trade and tourism. Consider the impact on some businesses in Oregon when Delta Airlines ended its Asia flights from Portland (eventually Northwest was recruited to start Tokyo flights). But a second-tier airline won't lure major corporate or frequent fliers who expect mileage plans and extensive networks. Smaller airlines using Seattle as a U.S. toehold would likely shift to bigger city as soon as possible (both Thai and China Eastern left Seattle for California in the 1990s).

Getting representatives who match the region

There's a mismatch between the Seattle area's dependence on global commerce and its political system. Jim Vesely made that point well in his Sunday column in The Seattle Times:

The city is run by representatives of two major and influential cohorts: neighborhoods and highly specialized interest groups. That may fit a less-competitive era, but if this region is going to need every brain and every molecule of stamina, it must have a much higher caliber of contestants for public office.

Those candidates would be knowledgeable on the Shanghai school methods, on the bridging of both space and dollars for transportation, on the depth of connections between here and Chile or China. Only a few are.

That's why whenever council members venture away from the narrow into the broad currents of national or state policies — or even pro sports — they appear woefully parochial, despite representing one of the most-dynamic and exuberant city-states on the planet.

So what's the recipe for change? The fact is that voters select representatives who most clearly speak to their interests -- and in Seattle that's usually neighborhood issues. By definition, candidates speak about those issues to the media. Instead of bemoaning the lack of ideas, I'd like to see The Seattle Times promote wider perspectives.

For starters, the news pages should examine the benefits of Gov. Gregoire's trade-promotion efforts and her groundbreaking meetings with British Columbia's premier. Why not demand that representatives learn from the rest of the world on issues like transportation? At least ask leaders what they learned about transportation from their recent trip to Japan.

Even the opinion pages could help. It would be fascinating to hear the questions that Vesely asked and the candidates' responses. Why not post those online?

Shift freight to rail, cut traffic congestion

Shifting freight traffic to rails would cut congestion and pollution, according to a study by Demographia:

In the Seattle area alone, shifting 25 percent of freight from trucks to trains by 2025 would mean 43 fewer hours in commuting time every year, compared with what is likely to occur otherwise. That same shift also would decrease air-pollutant emissions in the Seattle area by as much as 11,635 tons and save thousands of gallons of fuel.

The trick, of course, is making the change. Improving and expanding the Eastside rail line and also adding rail capacity throughout the Vancouver-to-Portland corridor could handle the traffic. Curbing the subsidy for cars and trucks on freeways would make the shift financially sensible.

A proposal to get 520 fixes moving now

State transportation planners spent lots of time this week explaining long-term plans for fixing 520 between Seattle and the Eastside.

But what about easing the commute now?

At an open house at Bellevue High School Tuesday night, there were detailed displays about plans for a new six-lane bridge, including features like bike lanes and steps to treat runoff water and use new quieter cement. Assuming passage of the transportation tax package this fall, the new bridge would be open for traffic ... in 2018.

That distant date explains why commuters are so unenthused. Why give up a sunny evening to discuss a project that seems like it will never happen? No one can say planners haven't been inclusive, with open houses and hearings ad nauseum. (On Tuesday DOT staff sometimes outnumbered the public.) What's missing is anything to help now or build enthusiasm for change.

So here's an idea: Immediately move 520's westbound HOV lane to the left side from Redmond to Seattle. Instead of being stopped by merging traffic in the right-hand lane, buses and three-person carpools could speed through the corridor. Forcing cars with one passenger to merge from two lanes into one before crossing the bridge would be a dramatic incentive to take transit or carpool.

The change could be made almost overnight and would boost capacity. Demand for buses would soar and suddenly people would be willing to carpool, even if it meant sharing rides with (gasp!) strangers. If drivers really wanted more lanes they would be incented to support funding a new bridge.

As it stands, taking the bus usually isn't an appealing option and there's plenty of opposition to the 520 replacement project. One protester at the Bellevue event this week handed out flyers urging a vote against this fall's tax plan because he wants politicians to craft a better one someday. Instead of risking that kind of delay -- and keeping us all stuck for years -- transportation leaders should make relatively small changes necessary to improve movement now.

We're all paying for your milk

Market-bending crop subsidies only prop up the Midwest, right? Think again.

Farms in Washington got $266 million in federal subsidies from 2003 to 2005, while Oregon got $99 million, according to a national database by the Environmental Working Group. Wheat and barley got the most help in Washington, while dairy got $1.3 million in King County alone.

Some subsidies are designed for worthwhile goals, such promoting conservation. But most of those objectives could be met with zoning or smart economic development alternatives. The current system is costly and wasteful. Subsidies make a mockery of America's lip service to "free trade" by distorting markets, especially impacting developing countries that depend on agriculture. And they are even linked to obesity.

The database addresses the 2002 Farm Bill, not windfalls like, for example, tariffs and forest road building to help the timber industry. The database is searchable by state, county, congressional district and program.

Seattle: A big city with a lake down its middle

New population data show Seattle has a shrinking share of the region's population. That's unless you consider the metropolitan region as a single big city facing the same regional challenges. Think of Seattle as a city with 22-mile-long Lake Washington running through its middle.

According to state figures released today, Seattle city grew 1.8 percent during the last year to 586,200, while King County overall grew 1.4 percent to 1,861,300. This story dives into reasons behind the trend.

Now the city of Seattle is less than one-third (31.4 percent) of the county's population -- and a smaller share (14.7 percent) if you consider the metropolitan population of roughly 4 million. The city was more than 78 percent of the county total in 1930 and 46 percent in 1970.

You could argue this trend means the city of Seattle should be starved of infrastructure dollars in favor of suburban roads and other projects. But people are drawn to a broadly defined "Seattle" rather than the suburbs, just as they're drawn to "Vancouver" instead of Richmond or Surrey (which are booming).

Projects simply need to serve a wider area than ever. It's clear that the area needs a variety of solutions, matching development with transportation. the Seattle area needs a system of rail along existing and future high-density corridors and a network of bus and carpool lanes connecting other areas. Incentives should promote the most efficient use of that regional infrastructure.

FEEDBACK on Why Seattle's buses don't work

This account of a recent bus commute drew a lot of feedback. Two emails came from Rep. Judy Clibborn, the chair of the state House Transportation Committee.

She explained that she's arranging to ride through the 520 corridor with the Department of Transportation to see what can be changed. Yet there will be opposition to any tinkering with the status quo:

I agree that we have some issues and will be working to get some of that merger smoothed out before we reach the new bridge and later implementation of tolls etc. I am interested in what comes out of the Urban Partnership regarding some of what you mentioned but I am also aware of the political reality of what we can do without support from the citizens. It will take a lot of education.

For info on the partnership, see the link for the Puget Sound Regional Council.

Landlord wants a Rockefeller Center in Seattle

Friday's Wall Street Journal has an interesting update on plans to dramatically redevelop a large swath of land near downtown Seattle, an opportunity to create "something akin to Rockefeller Center," according to the landlord.

Clise Properties has long had big ideas for its 13 acres in the so-called Denny Triangle, which was rezoned for tall buildings last year. Coverage of those plans includes this Seattle Times piece from over a year ago.

The Journal's story raises the question of whether Clise waited too long to sell the property, with long-term interest rates now at five-year highs. Scion Al Clise is quoted as saying he may take the land back off the market if he doesn't get a lucrative enough offer. He also says he's open to uses such as green space and cultural facilities, in addition to the usual office towers and expensive condos.

UPDATE: Both Seattle dailies posted stories on the huge redevelopment plan by late Friday morning, citing press releases or statements from Clise. Both seem to assume that a major project is inevitable. Neither credited the Journal.

Vancouver trying to speed city buses

Vancouver is changing the way passengers board buses in an attempt to speed service. It seems like a partial solution to some of the delays that also plague buses in Seattle.

Passengers on select bus lines will be required to have proof of payment and will be able to board through all the doors on the bus. Critics suggest the transit agency's real motive is the crack down on riders even as it plans yet another fare increase.

Motives aside, this is exactly the kind of change necessary to make bus rapid transit work. Seattle should adopt similar steps as it rolls out the new bus service that taxpayers agreed to fund last fall.

Vancouver (but not Seattle) a world commerce center

Don't let clogged traffic, overpriced real estate and a lack of major businesses fool you. Vancouver is a top center of global commerce.

So says a new study by MasterCard ranking the top 50 cities as "world centers of commerce" based on their contribution to economic activity. Vancouver ranked 28th (between Montreal and Brussels), according to the index of six characteristics. It got high ratings for legal framework, ease of doing business and economic vitality. Those outweighed poor scores for being a financial center, knowledge/info economy and being a business center.

Seattle didn't even make the list, which included eight other U.S. cities. Vancouver's result comes despite the city's steady loss of headquarters and relatively weak corporate environment. Of course, the presence of two University of British Columbia professors on the nine-member panel that set the rankings could have something to do with it.

Testing Seattle's buses for a cross-lake commute

I'd like personally to be part of the solution to Seattle's transportation problems, by building demand for transit and curbing related pollution. So last night I tried commuting by bus from Redmond to Seattle.

Was it even close to competitive with driving? Consider the results:

-- Walking from office to bus stop. 9 mins.

-- Waiting for bus. Sound Transit buses supposedly come every 10 mins, but I missed one by about 30 seconds. 9 mins.

-- Riding the bus from Redmond to Seattle's Montlake stop. The bus took a circuitous route through the Overlake Transit Center instead of using a freeway-ramp stop. Then the HOV lane was blocked for six of the seven miles leading to the 520 bridge because of cars trying to cross to merge or exit. 64 mins.

-- Walking from Montlake stop to home. The neighborhood bus isn't designed to meet commuters, takes a roundabout route and stops running at 6 p.m. The other option is riding past Montlake to downtown and then backtracking by local bus to my neighborhood. I just walked, wending my way through several pedestrian-unfriendly 1960s-era intersections designed purely to move cars. 29 mins.

-- Total travel time: One hour and 41 minutes to go 12 miles.

I've had blood-boiling commutes before and this one wasn't especially bad. But it was slower than driving myself. Plus, sitting on the bus isn't much less stressful than being alone in a car (especially if you're in one of those comfy BMWs, Lexuses or Audis clogging the highway). There was a bit of financial benefit since my bus pass is free and I saved roughly half a gallon of gas, maybe $2 -- or less than the cost of a coffee. I also feel more green, of course.

But clearly we need more than warm feelings to move people better. Reports today that variable tolls may be introduced in 2009 is a step in the right direction but is still too distant. The replacement of the 520 bridge (if voters approve funding in November) would eventually provide HOV lanes and and eliminate the merger jams. The need for road improvements that make transit work better is a huge reason to vote for transit-and-roads plan this fall.

Since those fixes are still years away, here are some interim ideas:

1) Immediately move the HOV lane to center to avoid merger congestion east of the 520 bridge. The main consequence would be cutting off a single freeway bus stop just east of the bridge.

2) Add buses in the corridor from Redmond to the densest neighborhoods in Seattle, such as Capitol Hill, the University District, Ballard and Green Lake.

3) Begin charging a toll to cross the bridge as buses are added -- not in 2009. Ideally this would be congestion priced, to incentivize taking transit.

Without immediate changes to speed transit, it's simply not practical to expect commuting patterns to change.