By Maggi Fimia

Itıs time Sound Transit becomes accountable to public

When the Sound Transit 10-year regional transit plan went before the voters in 1996, I was an enthusiastic advocate. I believe the Sound Transit plan includes many worthwhile improvements including express bus service, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) direct access improvements, and regional fare integration.

However, the identified costs of the proposed light rail line have increased by hundreds of millions of dollars while, at the same time, components of it have changed to such an extent that I no longer believe it offers a cost-effective solution to the regionıs transportation problems. The following changes have happened since we voted for the plan in 1996:

• In 1996, voters approved $1.67 billion to build light rail for Sea-Tac Airport to the University District. Costs to build this segment are now in excess of $2.1 billion and rising ‹ a 26 percent increase before the project has even begun.
  
• Sound Transit financial policies state that if subarea expenditures exceed projected revenues by more than 5 percent, the Sound Transit Board shall: 1. correct the shortfall through the use of the subareaıs uncommitted funds, and/or bonding capacity; 2. scale back the plan or projects to match a revised budget; or 3. authorize a vote of the district on a revised ballot.
  
• I have recently learned that the ridership estimations for the rail through the tunnel is packed with trains coming every 4 minutes from the Eastside. Buses through the tunnel today may carry more passengers than actual rail in the future because trains from the Eastside are not in the plans, buses are.
  
• There were only two contractors out of many possible ones who bid on the tunnel project. A third dropped out because they believed the time and budget were not realistic. In order to get a final bid, we will have to negotiate out participating projects, or assume more risk for cost overruns, or a combination.
  
• Sound Transit is counting dollars from beyond the 2006 build-out of Phase I to actually pay for Phase I. How long does that postpone Phase 2 for our area?
  
• Once Sound Transit has accepted funding from the federal government, it would obligate the whole region to pay for light rail cost overruns. But our regional partners have an agreement that each subarea would be responsible for their own costs. Which policy will prevail?
  
• The original plan called for shared use of the tunnel between buses and trains and only called for the removal of some buses, not all. The proposed light rail service will provide less peak-hour capacity through the tunnel than Metroıs existing bus service. The light rail system will remove 27 regional bus routes from the downtown Seattle Transit tunnel and displace 23,000 daily riders who will lose the time-saving benefits of the tunnel.
  
• Sound Transit claims that they are regularly audited. If these audits are resolving Sound Transitıs financial issues, why have costs increased by more than $500 million? Why does the Federal Transit Administration say, ³This financial capacity assessment did not constitute an audit of any financial statements prepared by Sound Transit. ... In addition, projection of any evaluation beyond the period of analysis is not appropriate²?

  CALL FOR INDEPENDENT AUDIT:
  I fear that Sound Transitıs light rail project will require far more money than its overseers acknowledge. Funding it threatens other important projects, including existing bus service and new transportation initiatives that may be more cost-effective.

  It appears that cost overruns will swallow up Seattle/North King County revenues for decades into the future. Thus, in order to accurately assess the financial viability of the proposal, Sound Transit must release updated subarea revenue and cost projections.

  Our region is facing a crisis in transportation funding. I-695 and now I-745 are challenging all assumptions about transit funding. We have no margin of error with investments of public dollars.

  It is as a past supporter of the light rail project and unwavering supporter of public transportation that I join with others around the region in a bipartisan coalition to call for an independent audit of the Link Rail program. It is our job to ensure that it brings the promised return for dollars spent.

  Until an independent audit is done, and given present and projected costs and ridership, I can no longer support this alignment and technology. We do not have a voice on the Sound Transit board from North King County. And, North King County is the most at-risk here for ending up with the least amount of service for decades into the future while continuing to pay for the cost overruns of the Seattle tunnel projects.

  If current projections for cost overruns and lower ridership are accurate, this project will end up costing nearly $200,000 for each car it takes out of traffic.

  This, I believe, is not what those of us who voted for it had in mind.

  Maggi Fimia is a member of the Metropolitan King County Council. She lives in Shoreline.