Four replies about Light Rail to the Eastside
A few weeks ago while various local politicos were debating light-rail to the east side, I sent some email to the lot of them through an easy form provided by TransportationChoices (form is now gone). The email went out to about 10–15 local politicians and board members, expressing both the “form letter” stuff about how important it was that we have light rail, along with my personal experiences and opinions on the topic.
Here’s the email I sent:
Please support light rail across I-90!
Form letter part:
Puget Sound has truly become a world-class region – one known for its innovation, beauty, and quality of life – and we need to have an equally world-class transit system! Light rail is the right kind of investment for connecting the region; it’s fast and reliable, increases bus and rail ridership, encourages healthy communities, increases property value, and helps protect the environment. I hope you will choose light rail as the preferred technology for the I-90 corridor and leave a legacy for generations to come. Please support LIGHT RAIL NOW!My additional part:
I get stuck in traffic every day on the way to and from work (from Seattle to Redmond). This is whether I drive alone, carpool, or ride the bus. There is no escape. Implementing light rail across I-90 to Bellevue and up to Redmond is absolutely a necessity to allow our region (with its strange reverse-commute and terrible traffic in both directions) to continue to grow successfully. Buses are ok, but they won’t get people out of their cars. Light rail is a far more effective and cost efficient way to solve this problem for the 21st century.
I was very pleased to hear back from five of the people I sent to (replies received in this order): Richard McIver (Seattle city council), Pete von Reichbauer (King County council), Julia Patterson (King County council), Dow Constantine (King County council), and Larry Phillips (Sound Transit board).
I didn’t hear back from the rest of the city/county/board that the form was sent to, although I suppose it’s par for the course if they didn’t agree with me. But it was still very good to hear back from these five, and it was even better to see the vote on light rail pass!
Updated later the same day – Whoops, evidently I can’t count. That’s FIVE responses, not four. 
