11:35 AM UPDATE: Mayor Greg Nickels said his visit to Capitol Hill this morning was a continuation of efforts he started during construction of the first phases of Seattle’s light rail construction in the Rainier Valley. “I want to hear from them directly how this is impacting their businesses,” Nickels said of the ten Capitol Hill business owners he planned to meet this morning.
Nickels stood near the Twice Sold Tales lot and looked on as the day’s clearing and removal of building materials began. “Is that where the apartment building was?” he asked. “Amazing to see so much change.”
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office said today’s tour was focused on business owners but that Nickels would return to the area in June for a community tour. While he waited for the day’s itinerary to begin, Nickels talked with Sound Transit staff about progress on the project and communication with the residents of 10th Ave directly across from the construction area. He also talked about how inspiring he found this CHS post — A train every 3.5 minutes on Capitol Hill. “Imagine. When this is done, you’ll be able to be in the U-District in three minutes.”
After a brief gathering of the mayor’s staff and Sound Transit official near the demolition area, the group made its way to Broadway Locksmith at the corner of John and 10th Ave E for the first meeting of the day.
Earlier in the day, Nickels detailed his plan to help cut city spending by $13 million to help cover a forecast $40 million shortfall. Check out
coverage at West Seattle Blog for more on the mayor’s plan — Nickels even pops up in the comments on the post. Busy day for the mayor.
10:07 AM: Mayor — and mayoral candidate — Greg Nickels is on 10th Ave E this morning to tour the city blocks being demolished along Broadway to make way for the Capitol Hill light rail station. His office informed neighborhood business owners and organizations that Nickels’ visit is intended to give the mayor a chance to meet with the community and view progress of the first phases of Sound Transit’s 8-year project.
Nickels currently chairs Sound Transit’s executive board. His first priority when taking the role in 2007 was ensuring light rail service begins in 2009. With trains currently being tested on the initial light rail link, that goal appears well within reach.
Light rail’s progress is also integral to Nickel’s position as the incumbent candidate for mayor. In his annual State of the City address in February, Nickels wrote, “Next month, we will break ground to extend light rail to the University. This segment will create about 2,900 direct jobs and connect three neighborhoods: the UW, Capitol Hill and downtown. Trains will run every 7 minutes initially and eventually every 3 ½ minutes. Imagine catching a train on Capitol Hill near Seattle Central Community College and arriving in either downtown or the UW in just 3 minutes. That will happen in just a few short years as will a new streetcar line that will connect Capitol Hill, First Hill and the ID.”
As for the demolition zone, Nickels is viewing an area already much altered. The corner where Twice Sold Tales once stood is graded dirt and pits. Most buildings are already torn down — though the Vivace building that was scheduled to come down this week apparently got a reprieve, perhaps due to the mayor’s visit. Sound Transit says the remaining buildings will continue to come down and the foundations will be dug up in coming weeks. More than 1,450 tons of building materials have already been processed and recycled. Soon, workers will begin installing soil nails in the property. The long metal rods with a concrete anchor will help stabilize the earth during excavation of the tunnel and station construction area.
The University Link line that the Capitol Hill station will be part of is scheduled to be operational in 2016.
Mayor: “When this [University Link Light Rail] is done, you’ll be able to be in the U-District in three minutes.”
Actually: Link will take you to Husky Stadium in three minutes. What most people understand to be the U-District is across the campus from Husky Stadium.
The conventional “transit-oriented development” walkable zone is within a 1/4 mile radius circle around a station.
Planning documents from ST and Metro do indicate that what may exist near the Husky Stadium light rail station is a new transfer point to express bus service connecting the Eastside to that corner of the UW campus over a new SR 520 bridge. This is expected to be ready for service a few years before the light rail connection to the Eastside across I-90 is complete.