[Transit] Media Request: Delay of Federal Way Light Rail

[Katie Wilson]

Thanks Doug! Super helpful. May be too late for this but I just replied to the reporter along the lines of your suggestion:

“We certainly are disappointed by this and the many other delays that are happening throughout the system. Transit riders want light rail and other transit improvements to be delivered ASAP so that they can get where they're going faster and more reliably.

We understand there are challenges and some are unexpected and unavoidable (like bad soil conditions that no one anticipated) but others are the result of poor coordination and shouldn’t have happened. We need better coordination among local leaders, tribal and federal partners to ensure that these voter-approved projects are completed as close to on-time as possible. It’s urgent to move our region away from fossil-fuel dependence and building out our light rail system is our best chance to reduce people’s reliance on cars and make transit commutes efficient and reliable."

> On Jun 2, 2023, at 3:32 PM, Doug Trumm <doug at theurbanist.org> wrote:
> 
> I think saying something like "Transit riders want light rail and other transit improvements to be delivered ASAP so that they can get where they're going faster." Is innocuous enough to not stir the pot unnecessarily. If we are feeling spicy I'd add: "The Federal Way Link delay stems from unexpectedly bad soil conditions no one anticipated, but the three-year delay to light rail extension from Federal Way to the Tacoma Dome is the result of poor coordination and shouldn't have happened. It would have been great to see local leaders effectively collaborating with tribal and federal partners rather than dropping the ball and expecting transit riders to pay the price, no big deal."
> 
> Douglas Trumm, Executive Director 
> Pronouns: he, him
> The Urbanist <http://theurbanist.org/> | 320.237.4771
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, Jun 1, 2023 at 2:21 PM Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org <mailto:katie at transitriders.org>> wrote:
>> Looks like they’re fishing for controversy… I’m inclined not to reply (would have to run something by the GC to be official) but let me know if any of you think we should, and if so what we should say!
>> 
>>> Begin forwarded message:
>>> 
>>> From: Kate Stone <kastone at bonneville.com <mailto:kastone at bonneville.com>>
>>> Subject: Media Request: Delay of Federal Way Light Rail
>>> Date: June 1, 2023 at 2:18:05 PM PDT
>>> To: Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org <mailto:katie at transitriders.org>>
>>> 
>>> Hi Katie,
>>> 
>>> Was just reaching out to see if there's any official comment from the Transit Riders Union on this:
>>> 
>>> https://mynorthwest.com/3895206/federal-way-link-light-rail-extension-delayed-until-2026/
>>>  <https://mynorthwest.com/3895206/federal-way-link-light-rail-extension-delayed-until-2026/>	
>>> Federal Way Link light rail extension delayed until 2026 <https://mynorthwest.com/3895206/federal-way-link-light-rail-extension-delayed-until-2026/>
>>> Federal Way can't catch a break from Sound Transit. Link light rail service will be delayed another year, until 2026.
>>> mynorthwest.com <http://mynorthwest.com/>
>>> 
>>> Specifically, Federal Way's mayor seems to imply that people will not mind the delays. Was wondering if you had any input.
>>> 
>>> Thanks so much.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Kate Stone| Reporter
>>> KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM | MyNorthwest.com <http://mynorthwest.com/>
>>> Bonneville Seattle Media Group
>>> kastone at bonneville.com <mailto:kastone at bonneville.com>
>>> (206) 726-6397 (office)
>>> (206) 580-6317 (cell)
>> 
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