From: Timothy Ellis
Date: Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 10:01 AM
Subject: City Action RE: 38th & Broadway Sound Transit Bus Stop
To: Ray Stephanson <RStephanson@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Ryan Sass <RSass@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Tom Hingson <THingson@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Pat McClain <pmcclain@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Debra Bryant <DBryant@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Paul Roberts <PRoberts@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Jeff Moore <jmoore@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Arlan Hatloe <AHatloe@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Ron Gipson <rgipson@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Scott Bader <ScottBaderEverettCityCouncil@gmail.com>,
Brenda Stonecipher <BStonecipher@ci.everett.wa.us>,
Shannon Affholter <saffholter@ci.everett.wa.us>
Cc: Patrice Hardey <patrice.hardy@soundtransit.org>,
Mike Bergman <mike.bergman@soundtransit.org>
To Whom it May Concern:
A little over two months ago I learned that the bus stop I walked to from my home every day was closing to Sound Transit buses. As soon as I saw the notice posted at the stop, I attempted to contact Sound Transit to learn why the stop was closing. Sound Transit directed me to the Everett Transit. After speaking with Everett Transit representative Vince Bruscas, the only information that was shared with me was that the city requested that Sound Transit close the stop due to “parking issues.”
Shortly before the stop closed I had a lengthy conversation with Councilmember Roberts, who reiterated the “parking issues” reason, but did not give me any more detailed information about why the stop was closed other than “multiple business complaints.”
Since no one was willing to give me straight answers about exactly why I am now being forced to walk nearly a mile to Everett Station to catch my bus, on October 9th I filed public records requests with the City of Everett and Sound Transit.
The story that the documents tell is very different from the story told to the public by various city officials.
There are no records of complaints from “quite a number of businesses.” The city received one complaint each from three local business people, and fourteen complaints from a single businessman, the owner of Gateway Center, Bob Dobler.
City officials claimed that when Sound Transit posted notice requesting that people not park on the surrounding streets, “there was not a change.” But in fact just as a result of politely asking commuters not to park there, vacant street parking increased five fold, with nearly 20% of nearby spaces (17 of 86) available after morning rush hour.
In early May, Ryan Sass, Tom Hingson, and Pat McClain unanimously agreed that the preferred solution to the parking issue would be to install time-restricted parking on the problem streets. This solution would have directly addressed the parking shortage without punishing people who walk to the bus stop.
Instead of implementing the solution preferred by the City Engineer, Director of Transportation, and Executive Director, city officials engaged in private negotiations with Bob Dobler (file attached), allowing one non-resident business owner’s interests to supersede the interests of their constituents. City residents whose daily lives would be affected by this change were only notified after the decision had already been made.
My own example of how this has affected me is that an average of 70 minutes a week has been added to my commute (I am currently able to use a stop slightly closer than Everett Station at Pacific & Rockefeller, but that stop is slated to close next year, which will lengthen my commute even further). That’s approximately five hours a month that was taken from me—a cost that could not possibly have been factored into the decision, since it was made in private, completely hidden from public view. There are no doubt other residents with similar stories who merely lack the will and determination to spend the time it has taken me to learn the true story.
I am writing you today to request that you reverse this improper decision and do what is best for your residents—re-open the bus stop at 38th and Broadway to Sound Transit buses and install time-limited street parking to address the parking issues.
I would appreciate a straightforward response on this matter.
Tim Ellis
3601 Wetmore Ave
[Attachment: 2012-06-15_1519 – Bob Dobler.pdf]