Re: “Sound Transit examines the price of making South Seattle crossings secure” [July 11, A1]:
Sound Transit now realizes that constructing gentle rail on Martin Luther King Jr. Method South at grade was a nasty resolution. Through the gentle rail planning years I volunteered with a South Seattle neighborhood group known as Save Our Valley. SOV vigorously advocated constructing that phase of the system under grade. We gathered petition signatures and distributed yard indicators, alerting our group to the risks at-grade rail would pose to the MLK hall.
I attended 5 group conferences held by Sound Transit on the Filipino Neighborhood Middle on MLK, in the middle of which accurately a whole bunch of attendees spoke out to insist that the road not be constructed at grade. Few favored at grade. We have been politely thanked for sharing our views, after which fully ignored. The conferences have been an compulsory sop tossed to South Seattle residents — there was clearly no intention to significantly contemplate our considerations.
It can’t be a coincidence that this plan was imposed on traditionally redlined neighborhoods occupied by a excessive share of immigrants and folks of colour. Seattle’s historical past of discrimination continued in ST planning. Along with fatalities, at grade has elevated site visitors congestion, highway rage and dashing on MLK.
Paul Cabarga, Seattle
