Patty Murray: “Sound Transit’s light-rail grand opening shows region is on the right track”

WHEN Sound Transit train doors open for the first time on
Saturday, riders will have many people to thank. And they can start with
themselves.

The journey to light rail’s grand opening began over a decade ago
when voters in three counties approved a tax plan proposed by Sound
Transit’s board to fund a new, cooperative regional bus and rail transit
system.

That vote was a leap of faith. It was also the beginning of a
partnership among people who shared a vision for the future that we all
want for our families, our economy and our region.

With that 1996 vote, Puget Sound residents said “yes” to a transit
system that did not just consist of isolated pieces. We wanted buses and
rail, and we wanted them to connect and to connect us.

We said “yes” to a sustainable transportation system that would
reduce congestion with environmentally friendly technology that
reflected our region’s deep respect for the outdoors.

We said “yes” to living in a region where economic growth and
prosperity are fueled by the hard work and ingenuity of our people and
where our safety, mobility and efficiency are high priorities.

And, beginning with that vote, we committed to sharing the sacrifice
to make it happen.

No one predicted the roller-coaster ride Sound Transit would face
moving forward. But we refused to let our economic growth be held
captive by either traffic or political gridlock.

As an original supporter and the chairman of the Senate committee
that oversees America’s federal transportation funding, I advocated for
Sound Transit in Washington, D.C.

I secured $3 million in federal funding for the environmental and
planning work that made Sound Transit eligible to apply for hundreds of
millions of dollars in federal transit startup funds.

But it wasn’t easy.

When the agency stumbled under financial troubles and lacked
oversight and accountability, I demanded agency officials get their
house in order. Sound Transit got the message and got it together.
Because they stepped up, we were able to convince two presidential
administrations, Bill Clinton’s and George W. Bush’s, to stay on board.

And I’ve been proud to secure more than $1.3 billion for related
transit projects, ranging from light rail to buses to park-and-ride
lots, because these are the smart, long-term investments our federal
government should partner on with local communities.

Sound Transit is more than a transportation system, it’s a
job-generator.

The planning and construction of light rail from Seattle to Tukwila
has created more than 4,000 jobs directly and 30,000 indirectly.

And when the doors open, our transit system will help attract new
business, create more jobs and make our region more productive
long-term.

If we’re serious about ending our oil addiction and addressing
climate change, transportation must be a major focus. In Washington,
transportation accounts for nearly half of our total greenhouse-gas
emissions. Sound Transit will get cars off the roads and improve the
quality of our environment.

Thanks to the leadership of Sound Transit’s Joni Earl, Seattle Mayor
Greg Nickels, Congressman Norm Dicks, former King County Executive Ron
Sims and many others, we worked through financial issues, answered tough
questions and did the hard work to keep moving and extend light rail to
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

In November, voters approved an expansion of bus and rail to the
north, south and east, showing a renewed commitment to our economy and
environment.

At times, Sound Transit has felt like the Little Engine that Could.
It took the belief, commitment and sacrifice of an entire region to get
us here today. And when doors open on Saturday, it will be clear that
Puget Sound residents not only thought we could, but indeed we did, make
a difference. Thanks to partnership and shared sacrifice, Sound Transit
is set to get our economy and our environment back on track.

– Seattle Times