Transportation

Our news partner, Q13 Fox News is reporting that authorities said a father and son working at a SeaTac car dealership forged title documents that kept the state from collecting excise taxes. Investigators worry this scheme has been going on since 2007.

Read more: http://q13fox.com/2013/05/23/investigators-car-dealer-agents-defrauded-s...

Due to a reporting error, the amount of money the Port of Seattle has pledged to Highline schools for noise mitigation was wrong in an article on the Port’s noise study that appears in the May 24 print issue.

The Port, operators of Sea-Tac Airport, has pledged $100 million for Highline schools.

That covers seven schools so far--Madrona Elementary, North Hill Elementary, Mount Rainier High, Cedarhurst Elementary, Sunnydale Elementary, Midway Elementary and Parkside Elementary.

Eight more schools are scheduled to get monies as levy upgrade projects are approved. For schools that close, that money goes to the new construction to increase capacity.

Of the dollars, $50 million comes from Federal Aviation Administration grants, while the remaining $50 million comes from the Port.

Also, the Port has provided $6 million to Highline Community College in Des Moines to assist in sound insulating of campus buildings. Twelve of the 22 buildings identified are complete.

The figure for Highline schools has been corrected in the online story below:

May 30 is the deadline for public comments on the Port of Seattle’s airport noise study.

News release:

Motorists might want to avoid 1st Avenue South between 140th and 146th Streets this week as grinding and asphalt work will be taking place. Traffic could be congested especially during peak travel times (mid-day/lunch hour).

Access to driveways will be limited and may require using the next available access.

Please plan for extra travel time or consider alternative routes to destinations along 1st Avenue South.

The project is nearing completion with the final layer of asphalt coating to be applied within the next few weeks, weather permitting.

On May 22nd from 2:30-4:30 p.m., members of the Highline Forum will meet at Burien’s City Hall Council Chambers, 400 S.W. 152nd St. The public is invited to make comments at the start of the meeting. The city of Burien is hosting the meeting and the theme is education with a larger focus around regional partnerships.

The Highline Forum includes the southwest King County communities of Des Moines, Burien, Normandy Park, SeaTac, Tukwila and Federal Way and the Highline School District, Highline Community College and Port of Seattle.

Press release:

The public is invited to ask questions and offer formal comments on the Draft Part 150 Noise Study for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on May 15 at Cedarhurst Elementary in Burien (611 S. 132nd St.) from 6 - 8 p.m.

The open house and public hearing is set to review the proposed recommendations for minimizing aircraft noise impacts on airport communities.

At this fifth and final public meeting, the public can offer formal comment on the Draft Part 150 Noise Study and required State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) study in writing or with a court reporter.

This Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 150 Noise and Land-Use Compatibility Study update is designed to evaluate existing noise levels, predict noise for the next five years, evaluate potential noise mitigation ideas and recommend programs to minimize impacts.

The following are a few of the draft recommendations – based on study input from the community, Port of Seattle Commission and technical experts – which will be described in detail at the meeting:

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Press release:

The Hyde Shuttle vans are seen nearly everywhere in the Des Moines, Normandy Park and Burien area, taking folks wherever they need to go, and now, you can ride one to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market!

Beginning June 1st, and every other Saturday through October, you can ride a comfortable, clean Hyde Shuttle van from your home to the Farmer’s market and back! The hours are from 11AM until 2PM every other Saturday. Spend the mid day at the market, enjoy lunch, buy fresh flowers or veggies, listen to the fun entertainment on the waterfront. It takes just one call to the Hyde Shuttle office to arrange your ride, and you can call right now! The number is 206-727-6262. The vans are filling up so an early call is best.

The Hyde Shuttle is part of the Senior Service Transportation program and is available to anyone 55 or older, or who has any kind of mobility challenge. The vans can easily accommodate walkers and wheelchairs as well. Companion pets are welcome! There is no cost to the service, but donations are appreciated.

Damage is estimated at $250,000 from an April 30 fire in the Sea-Tac Airport parking garage. The fire destroyed eight cars and damaged another 10.

Cause of the fire is believed to be mechanical failure in one of the vehicles. Airport staffers will attempt to identify owners through license plate numbers and notify them before they return to the airport.

Smoke from the fire closed one service tunnel and doors were closed in the north end but airport operations remained normal.

The Port of Seattle Fire Department first responded at 7 a.m. on April 30 to the fire on the garage’s sixth floor. Firefighters from the SeaTac Fire Department and other jurisdictions also responded.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray joined other officials on Friday, April 26 in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Angle Lake light-rail station to be built at South 200th Street and 28th Avenue South in SeaTac.

Preliminary construction is already underway at Sea-Tac Airport and project construction is set to begin this month. The station is slated to open in September 2016, four years earlier than originally planned.

The sped-up construction schedule is designed to alleviate parking pressure at the Tukwila International Boulevard Station. The new 200th station will feature a 700 parking garage as well as a temporary surface parking lot. The surface lot may go away when light rail is extended to the Kent/Des Moines Road-Highline Community College area in 2023.

The early opening will also coincide with the opening of the University of Washington light rail station. Officials say UW students will be able to go from the Angle Lake Station to the university in 49 minutes on light rail.

Press release:

The Port of Seattle Commission has selected Stephanie Bowman of Seattle to fill the seat vacated by Rob Holland.

Bowman, executive director of the Washington Asset Building Coalition, is the former manager of federal government affairs at the Port of Tacoma.

“We very much look forward to working with Stephanie,” said Commission President Tom Albro. “She has the background and skills to be an outstanding member of our commission and asset to the port. Her in-depth knowledge of port issues will enable her to hit the ground running.”

Bowman’s position on the commission will be on the King County ballot in November, when voters will elect a commissioner to serve a full four-year term.

“We are so appreciative of the tremendous group of applicants who sought the position, especially all the finalists,” said Albro. “Their interest is a testament to our region’s commitment to the port, economic development, growing jobs and the success of future generations.”


Press release:

This Friday Sound Transit will celebrate the start of construction of the future Angle Lake Station and 1.6-mile elevated guideway that will extend light rail service from Sea-Tac Airport to South 200th Street in SeaTac.

Special guests U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee will join Sound Transit board members, Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary and Sound Transit Board member Lynn Peterson, state Rep. Dave Upthegrove, Port of Seattle Managing Director Mark Reis, and SeaTac Mayor Tony Anderson to kick off the groundbreaking event.

The public will have an opportunity to hear about the project construction schedule, as well as view a 3-D animation of the elevated guideway and design illustrations of the station and public art.

When complete, the South 200th Link Extension will include a parking garage, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and a plaza area. Service is scheduled to begin in late 2016, at the same time Link service begins to the University of Washington.