Category: Councilmember Rasmussen

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Seattle City Councilmember Rasmussen applauds plans to build new streetcars in Seattle

News Release
Seattle City Councilmember and Transportation Committee Chair, Tom Rasmussen hailed today's announcement that the vehicles for the new First Hill Streetcar will be assembled in Seattle. The streetcars will be assembled by Seattle-based Pacifica, a company that specializes in the assembly and refurbishment of ground transportation vehicles in partnership with Inekon of the Czech Republic.

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City of Seattle signs agreement with State on SR 520 project

News Release
The Seattle City Council and Mayor McGinn completed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) that will help protect the City's interests on the SR 520 bridge replacement project. This MOU, unanimously passed as Council Bill 117303, expresses the intention of the City of Seattle and the State of Washington to work collaboratively.

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City and County Councilmembers encourage residents to attend this month’s SR 99 open house meetings

News Release
Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Chair of the Transportation Committee, and King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, Chair of the King County Ferry District, encourage residents likely to be affected by the nine-day closure (October 21-31) of the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct attend one of this month's open houses hosted with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

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Doug Lefever: A Life Cut Short

On Tuesday, as I was returning from a meeting in Olympia my Legislative Assistant Brian Hawksford called to say that Doug Lefever had been hit by a car while crossing 15th Avenue W.  Later we learned that he died from his injuries. I had known Doug for over a decade.  When I was the director [...]

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Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen’s statement on Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and West Seattle swing bridge operations

News Release
Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen released the following statement today regarding the U.S. Coast Guard's decision to temporarily limit opening times of the West Seattle swing bridge during peak commuting hours. This action will ensure east-west commuter mobility while the southern portion of the Alaskan Way Viaduct (AWV) is closed for demolition and replaced with a temporary route.

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Seattle City Council approves paid sick leave legislation

News Release
The Seattle City Council today approved Council Bill 117216 with a vote of 8-1 (Council President Conlin voting no), requiring businesses in Seattle to provide paid leave to employees when they or their family members fall ill or victim to domestic violence.

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Next Steps on Replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct

The Votes are in on Referendum 1,  and while many more ballots will still be counted, yesterday’s nearly 60% approval vote for Referendum 1 should remove any doubt about the city’s commitment to work with the state on the replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.  Referendum 1 was seen as a vote on the tunnel [...]

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Seattle City Council confirms Bernadette Matsuno as Department of Neighborhoods Director

News Release
Today the City Council unanimously confirmed Bernadette (Bernie) Matsuno as the Department of Neighborhoods Director.

"I am impressed with Bernie's professional background and her two-decade long commitment to the Department of Neighborhoods success,” said Councilmember Mike O'Brien, chair of the Seattle Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee. "The Council believes the Department is well-positioned to increase meaningful community participation in city projects, and Bernie's vision for the Department will support just that. Her goals are laudable and the Council believes she has the wherewithal to lead city initiatives and policy improvements and her leadership will be a great benefit to the entire city."