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> Home > Government > News & Public Notices > 2010 News Stories > Mayor Lewis Urges Citizens to Demand Sound Transit Build Second Parking Garage
Mayor Lewis Urges Citizens to Demand Sound Transit Build Second Parking GarageFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 6, 2010 Contact: AUBURN, Wash. – October 6, 2010 – Representatives from Sound Transit Monday night presented their draft budget for 2011 to the Auburn City Council and were told that Auburn’s second parking garage project had been pulled from their plans. “We have been promised this garage as part of every package sent to and supported by the voters,” said a disappointed Mayor Lewis. “That budget does not include a second parking garage for the Auburn community and our citizens need to demand this decision be reversed.” According to Lewis, Auburn was shovel-ready 10 years ago, long before Sound Transit began. The City worked with the original Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and became the first city on the developing rail system with a parking garage. RTA recognized the necessity for a second garage and worked with Auburn to design the second garage to connect with the existing garage. Later, when the RTA became Sound Transit, funding for the second garage was pulled and Auburn would have to wait for the next revenue package to come to the voters. In 2008, the Sound Transit II ballot measure was presented and included the second parking garage in Auburn. Sound Transit assured city officials that if Sound II passed they would build the second parking garage and many community members campaigned for a “yes” vote on this measure knowing it included the second garage. It passed by a large margin and the Director of Sound Transit reiterated to City officials that the garage would be built. Auburn has done its part to find alternatives to the lack of parking availability, Lewis says. The City partnered financially with Pierce Transit, King County Metro and Sound Transit to provide a shuttle to the garage, partnered with Metro on their VanShare program and encourages citizens to carpool to the garage when possible. “We cannot create space where there is none,” stated Lewis. “Ridership is clearly on the rise since the budget includes four more trains a day, but does not include a way for people to access those trains without parking.” Lewis says he was suspicious earlier this year when approached by Sound Transit to do a parking study and asked for assurances that this was not going affect Auburn’s garage project. Regardless, the City worked with Sound Transit on the study. After listening to the presentation Monday night, Auburn’s Mayor and Council learned that the draft budget ended funding for the second garage in the current budget cycle and Sound Transit’s recommendation, based on the parking study, was that alternative parking would provide the answer for the overcrowding. Lewis says he disagrees with this decision and is urging citizens to demand the Sound Transit reverse this decision by calling 206-398-5000 or 800-201-4900 or emailing main@soundtransit.org. # # # City of Auburn |
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