Mayor McGinn & Montlake Hang Tough on 520 Transit Demand

This morning Microsoft PR weighed in on the need to move on replacing the 520 bridge, while general counsel/Nevada domiciler Brad Smith said it would not be "the right path" for Microsoft to allocate funds for construction. Four to five percent of the bridge's daily traffic is estimated to be Microsoft employees.

Mayor McGinn

This afternoon Mayor McGinn responded, saying the city will spend $250,000 "to look at options for more transit on a smaller bridge," according to the Seattle Times. He also took a shot at Microsoft's (and the City Council's) commitment to carbon emission reduction, noting Bill Gates' recent push for the same.

The "Git-r-done" coalition has gotten behind the A+ option, a six-lane bridge with one HOV lane each way. Funding for the $4.5-billion-ish bridge is still over $2 billion short.

Mayor McGinn, Senator Ed Murray, House Speaker Frank Chopp, Rep. Jamie Pedersen, and the residents of Montlake would like the HOV lanes made bus-only with the eventual goal of adding light rail. Their respect and admiration for Microsoft's Brad Smith aside, the Montlakers have itchy lawsuit-fingers when it comes to the impact of 520 on their neighborhood. This "Now, hold on a minute" crowd has absolutely no interest in delivering more cars more quickly to Seattle roads.

I'd love to tell you how many cars that could be, but WSDOT doesn't feel capacity is worth highlighting in their design plans. It's mentioned several places that the bridge carries about 117,000 vehicles per day currently, but the most precisely the engineers can put it is that the new bridge "will move more people." You'd think there'd be a number in there.

If you'd like to get to the bottom of this on your own time, WSDOT is holding an Environmental Hearing and Public Open House tonight, February 23, from 5-7 p.m. at the Lake Union Park Naval Reserve Building (860 Terry Avenue North).