West Seattle Herald / White Center News - Transportation

Fraud alleged at SeaTac car dealership

ericm — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:12:28 +0000

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.

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ericm

05/24/2013

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Update 2: Port contributions to schools for noise mitigation detailed

cmenges — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:26:59 +0000

Comment period for airport noise study with smaller contours ends May 30

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.

Port officials, operators of Sea-Tac Airport, have spent the past four years assembling the study. The 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.

After approval by the Port commission, expected in mid-July, the study will be sent to the Federal Aviation Administration. After the FAA considers it, the agency can give the Port the OK to apply for grants for noise abatement programs. FAA action is expected around March of next year.

The Port completed a previous noise study before the third runway was completed. That study set the noise contours by estimating the projected noise impacts of the third runway.

Ironically, now that the third runway is in operation, the noise contours proposed in the new study are narrower than the ones currently in place.

That is because jets have become quieter, Port spokesman Perry Cooper said.

Homes in the area between the current contours and the proposed contours are no longer eligible for noise mitigation.

While working on the study, the Port has completed some noise mitigation in homes that had been bypassed within the new parameters.

Cooper said that since 1985, the Port has spent over $400 million on noise mitigation, including insulation of 9,300 single-family homes.

The Port has given the Highline School District $100 million for noise mitigation in schools impacted by airport noise.

One of the schools that received aid is Cedarhurst Elementary in northeast Burien.

The Port held its final open house and public hearing at Cedarhurst on May 15. Port staff presented displays and answered questions from the public. In the gym, a court reporter took formal comments on the study.

Among the draft recommendations is a pilot program to insulate up to 1,200 apartment units in the updated noise remedy boundary. Eligible condominium units would also be insulated.

A voluntary buyout program would be offered for existing individual mobile homes located on privately owned land. Cooper said the larger mobile home parks have already been bought out and removed.

Some residences in the south approach transition zone around Des Moines would also be eligible for a voluntary buy-out under the new recommendations. Cooper said residents who want to stay in their homes can remain.

The draft report also calls for evaluating the feasibility, possible locations, costs and impacts of building a ground run-up enclosure to reduce noise during aircraft engine testing on the airfield.

The enclosure, commonly known as a “hush house” costs $6-8 million, according to Cooper.

The Port commission and FAA must still approve the draft recommendations.

Copies of the draft are in local libraries. A CD copy can be obtained by calling 206-787-4944.

Formal comments can be emailed by May 30 to SEApart150comments@landrum-brown.com. Comments can also be faxed to 513-530-2201.

Mailed comments can be addressed to Rob Adams, Landrum & Brown, 11279 Cornell Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

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ericm

05/22/2013

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http://www.westseattleherald.com/sites/robinsonpapers.com/files/images/wwwhighlinetimescom/2013/05/news02_0.jpg

Photo credit:

Photo by Jerry Gay

A plane on a line to land at Sea-Tac Airport flies near a home.

Expect construction delays on Burien’s 1st Avenue South

ericm — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:56:43 +0000

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.

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ericm

05/15/2013

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Highline Forum meeting set in Burien on May 22

ericm — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:51:51 +0000

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.

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ericm

05/15/2013

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Final Airport noise study public meeting is Wednesday, May 15 at Burien's Cedarhurst Elementary

ericm — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:51:21 +0000

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:  --

Continue offering sound insulation for eligible single-family residences located within the updated noise remedy boundary --

Offer new sound insulation programs for eligible condominiums located within the update boundary -- Establish a pilot program to insulate apartment buildings located within the updated boundary --
Offer a voluntary buyout program for existing residential mobile homes located on privately-owned land within the updated boundary

Offer an option for voluntary sale to the Port of eligible residential properties located within the south approach transition zone of the third runway

Evaluate the feasibility, possible locations, costs and operational impacts of building a Ground Run-up Enclosure to reduce noise during aircraft engine testing on the airfield.

For details and a list of libraries where you can review the complete study document, visit the website. You can request a CD copy by calling 206-787-4944.

Options for submitting formal comments include: Email to SEApart150comments@landrum-brown.com, fax to 513-530-2201 or mail to Rob Adams, Landrum & Brown, 11279 Cornell Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

The Part 150 Study comment period, which is also the comment period for the SEPA review for the study, ends on May 30. Feedback gathered at the public meeting and during the comment period will be taken into consideration before a final set of recommended programs is sent to the Port of Seattle Commission for approval this summer.

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ericm

05/08/2013

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Hyde Shuttle takes seniors to the Des Moines Farmer’s Market

ericm — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:43:44 +0000

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.

Driving for the Hyde Shuttle is a great way to give back to the community and help your friends and neighbors get to and from the places they want to go! It’s only a few hours a week, and all the training is provided. No special license is needed and all you have to do is call Brady Wright, at the Activity Center to apply at 206-878-2066. You can email direct to bradyw@seniorservices.org if you have any questions. We are always looking for great volunteer drivers, for this wonderful service to expand even more!

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ericm

05/08/2013

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Vehicles destroyed in Sea-Tac Airport garage fire

ericm — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:55:57 +0000

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.

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ericm

05/01/2013

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Sen. Murray joins officials in breaking ground for new SeaTac light-rail station

ericm — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 19:36:38 +0000

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.

Light rail will extend 1.6 miles from the Sea-Tac City Center/airport station on an elevated guideway. The new station will straddle South 200th Street with entrances on both the north and south sides of the street.

The elevated station will include covered waiting areas, public art and a plaza that SeaTac staffers hope serves as a neighborhood gathering area.

SeaTac Mayor Tony Anderson noted at the groundbreaking ceremony that the elevated station will have excellent views of Mount Rainier, Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. He suggested photographers will come to the station to take pictures of the sunset.

With the opening of the new station, the city of SeaTac will have two light-rail stations with a third one, the Tukwila station, across the street from the city limits at Tukwila International Boulevard and South 154th Street. King County Council vice chair Julia Paterson said Sound Transit has invested over $700 million for the three stations along the south Highway 99 corridor.

Sen. Murray, chair of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee, worked with the Federal Transit Administration and Sound Transit to secure $26 million in federal funding.

She said $5,000 riders a day are expected to use the south SeaTac station.

“That’s 5,000 more customers for local businesses and 5,000 less cars on Interstate 5,” Murray said.

When the UW station is opened, 250,000 riders a day are expected to use light rail throughout the system, Murray added.

Gov. Jay Inslee was scheduled to attend the ceremony but stayed in Olympia as the state Legislature grapples with the state budget. Paterson noted Inslee was the first governor ever scheduled to attend a light-rail groundbreaking.

The new state transportation secretary, Lynn Peterson, represented the governor. Peterson noted the Angle Lake station project will generate 2,600 local jobs.

Councilmember Patterson, who represents the SeaTac area, said the city contains many working class families who cannot afford cars and are very dependent on affordable transit.

Patterson said it will take 31 minutes to go from the station to the sports stadiums and 49 minutes to downtown Seattle.

She also noted the station is close to the Des Moines Creek Trail and the proposed “Lake to Sound” Trail that would link Lake Washington in Renton with Puget Sound in Des Moines.

Patterson, who announced earlier in the day that she will not seek re-election after 23 years in public office, noted she has fond memories of riding her horse, Dusty, down Highway 99. She joked that a statue of her and her horse should be erected at the station.

State Rep. Dave Upthegrove noted he grew up in the area as the son of an airline pilot and flight attendant. He said light-rail trains connect people much like airplanes.

Sea-Tac Airport director Mark Reis said the airport is the front door to the region for domestic travelers and the front door to the United States for foreign travelers. He said airline travelers are increasingly using light rail when they land.

King County Executive Dow Constantine said light rail is used not only by job commuters but students, shoppers and spectators at major regional events.

He added work is already underway to extend light rail south to Des Moines, Federal Way and Tacoma.

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ericm

04/29/2013

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Sound Transit

An architectutural rendering of the new Angle Lake transit station slated to open in 2016.

Bowman to join Port of Seattle Commission

ericm — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:21:01 +0000

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.” 

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ericm

04/24/2013

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