Seattle City Council approves tolling oversight committee

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Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council approves tolling oversight committee

Seattle – The Seattle City Council today unanimously approved Resolution 31323, convening an Advisory Committee on Tolling and Traffic Management for the SR 99 Tunnel Project, as well as approving appointments of 15 community representatives to serve on the committee.

"This committee is critical to maintaining open dialogue while analyzing various tolling options," stated Councilmember and Transportation Committee Chair Tom Rasmussen. "I applaud these regional leaders for their commitment of time and energy toward a productive solution to traffic management in the Seattle area and beyond."

The committee will work with the City and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to review potential traffic impacts on city streets and I-5 for different tolling scenarios for the SR 99 tunnel; explore ways to refine tolling strategies to meet state funding goals and minimize diversion; and also investigate strategies to reduce or mitigate diversion. WSDOT and the City agreed to form the advisory committee as part of the technical agreements that ensure the city’s interests are protected during construction of the tunnel.

"We appreciate the Seattle City Council’s commitment to work with WSDOT to build the SR 99 tunnel," said Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. "We are working with the City to minimize effects on drivers and the adjacent businesses and residents. We also look forward to hearing from tolling advisory committee members about their ideas to balance project funding with the need to minimize diversion to downtown streets and I-5."

The committee’s work will begin in October and is expected to continue until one year after the tunnel opens, in late 2015.  Interim milestones include making preliminary tolling and traffic recommendations by December 2012 and final recommendations in 2015.

Committee members include:

  • Charley Royer – Co-Chair Waterfront Partnerships Committee; representative of Pioneer Square and other South Portal communities
  • Henry Yates – Former Government Relations Manager for the Port of Seattle
  • Bob Davidson – Seattle Aquarium; representing waterfront businesses/institutions; expertise on Puget Sound protection
  • Rob Johnson – Transportation Choices Coalition; expertise on transit and non-motorized mobility
  • Phil Fujii – Representing South Lake Union and other North Portal communities; guided development of the SLU Mobility Plan
  • Anne Goodchild – Co-chair Freight Advisory Board ; UW Professor of Civil Engineering with expertise on freight movement
  • Marcus Charles – CEO of MDC Holdings (The Crocodile, Local 360, Ju Ju); representing Downtown retail/Belltown
  • Sharon Maeda – UFCW Local 21; representing low-income concerns
  • Peg Staehli – SVR Design; pedestrian environment, urban form
  • Tessa Greegor – Cascade Bicycle Club; bike/pedestrian/urban form
  • Rick Bender – recently retired State Labor Council president, former State Senate Transportation Chair, Washington State Convention and Trade Center boardmember.
  • Sung Yang – Chief of Staff for King County Executive Dow Constantine; representing transit and other county concerns
  • Claudia Balducci – Chair, PSRC Transportation Policy Board, Sound Transit Board; regional transportation perspective
  • Kurt Beckett – Port of Seattle chief of staff; former Chief-of-Staff to Sen. Maria Cantwell and District Director for Congressman Norm Dicks
  • Maud Daudon –  CEO Seattle-Northwest Securities Corp; past president of Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, former Deputy Mayor; project finance and bonding expertise    

For more information on the SR-99 project, click here.

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