![[Photo: Lloyd Hara]](http://lloydhara.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/lloyd-100image.jpg?w=180)
Looking ahead, 2009 shapes up as a big, brawling year. A year of larger-than-life economic challenges and critical decisions. A year to take Port reform to the next level . . . and an election year. We’re back, and we’re ready to rumble.
“Back”? Liz and I escaped the winter weather miseries with a long-planned Mediterranean cruise. It’s thought-provoking to explore the world beyond our borders — Pompeii at Christmas Eve, Athens for New Years — and it’s good to reflect on affairs here from a distance.
Here’s one thing I learned (and you might have guessed): “cruise” is not my natural tempo. Rambling around Barcelona was more my speed.
In case you were wondering, the trip was on my own dime. I have limited official travel to places the Northwest can develop trade relationships, port security arrangements, and progressive connections like the new eco-partnership with our sister port of Dalian, China.
In case you were wondering, I did seriously consider running for King County Elections Director. (Concerned citizens invited me to set the tone for this new office as a public trust rather than the trophy in a partisan grudge match.) If elected, I would not have resigned from the Port Commission. I did not take part in negotiations to “clear the field” for a favored partisan candidate, but in the end I did not file for the office. I was in a strategy meeting on Dec. 12 (filing day) when word arrived that my mother Shuko, age 94, had suffered a broken hip. Family comes first, and I spent most of the next 48 hours pacing the hospital hall.
Shuko is strong and active, and she’s recovering well. The Elections Director story is water over the dam, and I expect you’d rather hear more about the Port. I’ll post a number of separate topical items here in succession, and then we’ll roll these up into the quarterly newsletter.
My newsletters always trigger a flurry of e-mails, and I respond to most individually. We’re going to open this up for comments so we all benefit from the feedback, and so we can devote more give-and-take to the Port issues of greatest interest.
Please be brief, stay on topic, and play nice — comments will be reviewed before publication. Now, tell me what’s on your mind!
Filed under: Port News
Thanks for responding to my website and providing your thoughts…
The Commission has not taken a formal position yet regarding the deep bore tunnel….1. Deep bore tunnel, I was informed that the Governor was to hold a press conference on Tuesday, on Sunday evening but knew little of the details or what would be said…on Monday I had an opportunity to express my feelings that if a deep bore tunnel was the selected option by the state, it needed to have access to Ballard and not dump all the traffic off on Mercer Street. I know that 35,000 vehicles get off on Elliott to get to QA, Magnolia, and Ballard and we must preserve that traffic flow….I am also concerned with the capacity issue, especially meeting future traffic counts…the 4 lane option with other improvement may for the short term be able to handle the traffic, if the tunnel option is funded, but as soon as the tunnel is completed…we need to look at a second tunnel to meet future capacity if this the chosen option. An immediate and quick fix option would be to retrofit the existing viaduct to withstand medium earthquake…it is within funds, doesn’t shut down the waterfront, and allows other needed funds to fix other critical bottlenecks like Mercer, 520, East Marginal Way and other critical projects. The City must figure out how to fund the seawall (about $1.0 billion).
Lloyd
2. I have been asking staff regarding the noise problem. The third runway has been open for less than 2 months and FAA, the airlines and the Port are working out the flight patterns and effiicient operations…Noise during the winter is always noisier than summer, and the bad weather during the winter will cause more flights to go to the 3rd runway. I have been asking what can be done to reduce the noise impacts as we move forward in 2009. Stay tuned…
Lloyd should be in position to reply to your comments later today, pending a little administrative tweaking and training.
Following on the message from Gene and Susan Hoglund, I would like to know if the Port Commissioners knew of and/or supported the deep bored alternative before the news broke on Monday.
Thanks, Keith
Lloyd,
I do not understand the rational of removing Parsons as the 3rd party administrator of the Ports PLA’s. This would seem to be a case of being penny wise and pound foolish.
Is the Port prepared to hire the additional staff required? Parsons has been effective in their role as an honest broker in dealings with the issues between contractors, the port and Labor. Can the Port realistically maintain the level of service Parsons has provided without incurring greater cost?
Dale Bright
[Slightly edited for typo's -- Hara Campaign]
Russ — Thanks for your interest. Sorry, PDC rules do not allow us to use this campaign site to promote another candidate in another race.
(: How’s that for ducking the question? :)
Thank you for your objective, open-minded, thoughtful and caring approach to the fishermen’s net storage issue.
On the issue of noise pollution from the 3rd runway reportedly affecting neighboring residents, I hope that you are personally looking into that situation so that maximum relief for those Sea-Tac neighbors can be achieved within the Port’s operational requirements.
Respectfully,
Lloyd, with the port supporting the Deep Bored Tunnel how can you say no new taxes! I am very unhappy that my taxes will increase many times to pay for something that will increase congestion and time travel in the North South corridor. Has any one on the port staff looked at how traffic will travel from the airport to T-91 or SODO to Ballard…Please we don’t want the port to support the deep bored tunnel without looking into all of the issues of traffic congestion and cost to the taxpayers of King County, Seattle and the State.
Who in hell should I vote for elections chief so we can have an honest election????? Later, Russ
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