by Shawn Underwood

Yes, it’s rainy.

Yes, the wind is howling and the 2010 Olympic flame is blowing sideways, leaving my umbrella to resemble a closed tulip, but the enthusiasm for the Olympic games is infectious.

The minute we stepped off the Skytrain we are greeted with a chorus of  welcomes.

“Good morning!” said one Mapleleaf-clad young woman.

“Good morning!!” said another.

“Good morning!!!” said a third.

Oh my gosh, I’ve got to move to this friendly city – I’ve already got three friends in less than one minute. Just think, by the time I get to my hotel, let’s say ten minutes or so – I’ll have 30 new friends. I did notice a lot of my new ‘friends’ were wearing bright green coats and badges.

Hmmm…

At our centrally-located hotel, Rosedale on Robson in Vancouver BC, the staff personnel practically fall over each other with their welcomes. I love this place. I can’t wait to tell my old college friend, Deb, how much I love her country. Deb moved here 20+ years ago and never left. She probably has loads of friends.

The phone rings five minutes after we settle into our room.

“I’m downstairs,” said my old friend (what, no “Good morning!”? So much for a friendly country…).

I quickly put on some lipstick and run downstairs.

“Damn girl, you look the same as you did in college!” I said.

Waiting, waiting, waiting for similar reply. Guess I’m not looking as fresh as I thought. Oh well, things could be worse.

“Deb, everyone here is soooo dang friendly.”

“Oh yeah, we’ve been barraged with public announcements before the Olympics – stuff like, ‘remember you are a representative of Canada, go out of your way to be friendly.’”

I’m rather deflated by this statement. Maybe I don’t have quite so many friends as I imagined. Maybe they are paid to be nice!

“What about all the people in green jackets?” I ask.

“Oh, those are volunteers, they don’t get paid unless their empolyers pay for their time off to help with the Olympics,” she said as we walked towards the waterfront to see our first ever ‘live in person’ Olympic flame.

Sunday–we hope to be first in line at The Bay department store–the only place in Vancouver which sells Olympic souvenirs. The line was three blocks long today. I don’t want the popular mapleleaf mittens that bad.

Monday–Off to Cypress to watch Tom’s relative, Nate Holland, a “five-pete” X Games champion.

Hopefully I’ll be wearing my new souvenir mapleleaf mittens – you know, the kind that make you smile and say “GOOD MORNING!!!!”?

Twenty-five years of living in Burien gives Humorist Shawn Underwood much fodder for her writings.

All of her stories are true, or at least have a grain of truth with no added embellishments.

Or something like that.

Read more of her humor at her website here.

Burien is losing more express Metro service to Downtown Seattle.

According to this new schedule, the last Burien Park and Ride express bus service into Seattle, leaves at 9:18 am. No express bus service will be offered again until 1:10 pm. This leaves a 4-hour commute time frame that gives riders the only options of going through West Seattle, or taking the Link. Both are very time consuming.

Contact the King County Department of Transportation and the Burien City Council with your concerns.

Metro Bus Route Changes – Service revisions begin this Saturday, February 6.

Some midday trip eliminations on the 121, but two new a.m. and two new p.m. peak-period trips have been added.

Northbound trips leaving the Burien Transit Center at 9:58 am, 10:26 am and 1:09 pm, southbound trips leaving 3rd Ave & Pike St at 9:17 am and 1:36 pm, and the southbound trip leaving 7th Ave & Blanchard St at 12:17 pm will be discontinued.

Northbound Route 121 to downtown Seattle will have two new peak-period trips arriving at 3rd Ave & Pike St about 7:35 and 8:30 am. Southbound Route 121 to Burien will also have two new peak-period trips leaving 7th Ave & Blanchard St about 3:39 and 4:27 pm. WSDOT is funding these additional peak-period trips on Route 121 to keep people, businesses and the economy moving during Alaskan Way Viaduct construction. Visit
www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/viaduct

More service change information: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/scvchange.html

- Meg Van Wyk
Burien Park and Ride patron

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review, we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]

The Port of Seattle Commission released a draft of its memorandum of agreement (download PDF here) with the State of Washington Monday (Feb. 1st) detailing its contribution to the proposed bored tunnel project that would replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Public testimony and comment are being sought by the commission prior to their vote.

The memorandum spells out the port’s intent to make an investment in this program, which is not to exceed $300 million during construction of the Viaduct Replacement Program. The port’s contribution will be linked to improvements that promote freight mobility and access to port facilities. Freight, cruise, agriculture, daily commuters and neighborhoods depend on this vital traffic corridor every day, and the corridor is essential to our regional economy.

The port commission is asking for your input before they make a decision on the MOA. There are several ways in which you can comment over the next two weeks:

• E-mail comments to Viaduct MOA Comments: viaduct@portseattle.org
• Mail comments must be received by close of business Monday, February 8, to:

Viaduct MOA Comments
Attn: Christine Lee, Regional Transportation
PO Box 1209
Seattle, WA 98111

Public testimony can be provided at two upcoming Commission meetings:

• Tuesday, Feb. 2nd, 1:00 p.m., (MOA item will come up around 2:30p.m.) at Aviation High School, 615 South 200th St. in Des Moines
• Tuesday, Feb. 9th, 1:00 p.m., Port Headquarters, Pier 69, 2711 Alaskan Way in Seattle
  

The commission is expected to make a decision on the MOA, following public comments, at their February 9th meeting.

by Ralph Nichols

In a victory for private property rights, the SeaTac City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, Jan. 26th to rescind their earlier condemnation of the “Park-N-Fly” business at 17400 International Boulevard.

The paid parking lot – easily recognizable by its landmark sign, a vertical blue and gold key, across the street from Sound Transit’s light rail station at Sea-Tac International Airport – is the focus of ongoing negotiations over development of a proposed city center there.

Council members voted last Sept. 22 to condemn the property in an eminent domain action. Had the condemnation proceeded, it was anticipated that the SeaTac would sell the land to a private developer who then would build a parking garage and a city center complex.

“We are very pleased that the city council reconsidered its earlier action and upheld the Constitution and respect for private property,” John Houlihan Jr., an attorney for James and Doris Cassan, owners of Park-N-Fly, said following the action. “The Cassans look forward to continuing their long-standing business.”

Doris Cassan added that they now “will continue to pursue with the city what will make a first-class project.” This will be a mixed use development including some combination of a hotel, retail, office space and possibly some multi-family housing in addition to parking.

Councilman Rick Forschler said prior to the vote the earlier condemnation of the Cassan’s property was “a misuse of eminent domain.” He noted that while the council said it wanted to take the property for a “public use,” that use actually would have been a sale of the land to a developer who would build a private parking garage there.

“The Cassans are committed to making this a first-class development,” said Councilman Tony Anderson in support of rescinding the condemnation. He also appealed to both parties to “continue their negotiations (for development of the site) in good faith.”

And Councilwoman Mia Gregerson said she would vote to rescind because “the city and property owners are working together for a development that works.”

Councilman Ralph Shape, who defended the condemnation action at the council’s Jan. 12 meeting, offered no comment before voting to repeal it.

Council members approved the condemnation ordinance last year because they “believed it was in the best interests of the city,” said Councilman Gene Fisher, who introduced the ordinance to rescind at the earlier meeting.

“Because of conversations going on (since the original action) between the city and property owners … working together for development that works,” condemnation of the Cassan property is not appropriate and he could not support it, Fisher declared.

However, he noted that ordinance repeals condemnation without prejudice, which would allow the city to invoke that action in the future “if parking needs increase and negotiations with the property owners stall.”

Earlier in the meeting, Scott Roberts, property rights director with the Freedom Foundation, told council members there is a need for eminent domain reform in Washington and urged the lawmakers to act with that in mind.

“You know the difference between right and wrong,” Roberts added, and rescinding condemnation of the Cassan property “certainly is right.”

Companion bills to limit the use of eminent domain in Washington, introduced at the request of Attorney General Rob McKenna, currently are before the Legislature.

Doris Cassan summarized their plans for the property and urged the council to allow Park-N-Fly to remain in private hands and be developed privately by them.

War Correspondent/Writer/Blogger Michael Yon claims via his Facebook Fan Page that he was detained at Sea-Tac Airport Tuesday morning (Jan. 5th) for “refusing to say how much money I make.”

Yon apparently is an ex-Green Beret turned war correspondent who’s covered wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obviously a well-traveled guy with combat experience, it’ll be interesting to hear the “other side” from TSA (if we ever do that is).

Here’s a screenshot of his Facebook posting:

And here’s the actual text of his post:

Got arrested at the Seattle airport for refusing to say how much money I make. (The uniformed ones say I was not “arrested”, but they definitely handcuffed me.) Their videos and audios should show that I was polite, but simply refused questions that had nothing to do with national security. Port authority police…eventually came — they were professionals — and rescued me from the border bullies.

Our guess is that trying to get through TSA with a Passport that has stamps from Iraq and Afghanistan, then refusing to answer questions = p.o.’d rent-a-cop types who are on edge after the Christmas Day bombing attempt…

Sea-Tac Airport will be offering a special discount for Seahawks fans, with a 50% discount on Terminal Direct parking for the final home game on Sunday, Jan. 3rd versus the Tennessee Titans.

The idea is to allow affordable parking and encourage fans to take Sound Transit’s Link light rail from SeaTac to the “Stadium” stop near Qwest Field for just $2.50 each way.

According to a press release received Wed., Dec. 30th:

Sea-Tac Airport offers special parking rate for Hawks Fans

$2 per hour in Terminal Direct for football fans connecting with Link light rail

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport invites fans to score a “TD” with a 50% discount on Terminal Direct parking for the Seahawks final home game Jan. 3 versus the Tennessee Titans.

Terminal Direct parking at Sea-Tac Airport offers the most convenient access to the airport terminal and quick connection to Link light rail’s new SeaTac/Airport Station. You’ll park on the 4th floor of the airport garage, an easy walk to the pedestrian bridge leading to the Link station.

On Jan. 3, customers parking in Terminal Direct will enjoy a $2 per hour rate if they arrive between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. – plenty of time to experience the quick, convenient ride from SeaTac/Airport Station to stations near Qwest Field. Terminal Direct tickets during that time period will automatically be credited with the discount rate when you exit the airport parking garage.

Hawks fans riding Link to the game can skip any post-game ticket lines by getting an ORCA card from any ticket vending machine before boarding. ORCA cards can be used like cash or as a transit pass on trains, buses or ferries throughout the region. For a limited time, cards are available with no card fee. Starting Feb. 1, a standard adult or youth ORCA card will cost $5. ORCA – One Regional Card for All – will replace about 300 various passes, tickets and transfers with a single smart card. ORCA’s replacement of most paper transfer slips on Jan. 1 means ORCA can help riders avoid paying full price when they transfer. More information on ORCA is available at http://www.orcacard.com

The opening of SeaTac/Airport Station on Dec. 19 means easier access to ORCA and to Link light rail for thousands of visitors, commuters, and Sea-Tac Airport employees. Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle collaborated on the Airport Link project which included the new light rail station, pedestrian bridges connecting the station to the airport parking garage and a pick-up and drop-off area to the east serving the city of SeaTac. The Port also relocated and upgraded the Airport Expressway and the Return-to-Terminal roadway loop. A ride from SeaTac/Airport Station to Westlake Station is 36 minutes and costs $2.50.

More information available at Sound Transit’s website here.

On Saturday morning (Dec. 19th) at 10am, Sound Transit opened its Link light rail service to SeaTac with lots of ceremony, local dignitaries, curious passengers, and of course, functioning trains that now link the airport to downtown Seattle.

The first 14 miles of light rail opened from downtown Seattle to Tukwila in July. This final segment from Tukwila to SeaTac / Airport Station, built under a close partnership with the Port of Seattle, connects the airport from downtown with 13 stops serving the SeaTac, Tukwila, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, SODO to the final stop at Westlake.

“It’s been a heck of a journey, but we delivered on what we promised: light rail from downtown Seattle to the airport in 2009,” said Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels. “This opens an entirely new option for travelers and commuters, and represents the first steps of a truly regional network.”

Service on the 1.7-mile extension line kicked off with an inaugural ribbon cutting at the SeaTac / Airport Station before the station and trains opened for regular passenger service at 10am, and Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

“Opening the doors to Sound Transit’s airport line in time for the holidays is great gift to residents of the Puget Sound region,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. “This new line will provide fast and easy connections to downtown Seattle and a low-cost way to get around. This is just the latest in environmentally friendly transportation that will help ensure our region’s long-term economic growth.”

Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle collaborated on the Airport Link project which included the new light rail station, pedestrian bridges connecting the station to the airport parking garage and a pick-up and drop-off area to the east serving the city of SeaTac. The Port also relocated and upgraded the Airport Expressway and the Return-to-Terminal roadway loop.

“With more than 30 million passengers through Sea-Tac every year, and 15,000 airport employees, we anticipate light rail will be a welcome “green” alternative for travel to and from the airport,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Using light rail will reduce air emissions and traffic congestion. It’s good for the airport and it’s good for our region.”

The next light rail extension is scheduled to open in 2016 with service from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington. Construction is underway on that segment while Sound Transit plans for 36 more miles of light rail extensions to Lynnwood, Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island and Federal Way by 2023.

Link’s normal Saturday schedule will be from 5 a.m. – 1 a.m. with regular fares required. On weekdays, the first train from the airport to downtown will depart at 5:16 a.m. and the last one to downtown will leave at 12:07 a.m. The last train to Mt. Baker Station in the Rainier Valley departs at 12:46 a.m.

More detailed schedule and fare information is here: http://www.soundtransit.org/x11204.xml.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• PHOTOS: Scenes From Sound Transit’s Airport Station Sneak Peek Ride
• Sound Transit’s New Airport Station To Open Dec. 19th
• I Rode Link Light Rail & Lived To Write About It. Have You?
• Ride Sound Transit’s New Link Light Rail All Weekend For FREE
• First It Was The Third Runway – Now Sound Transit’s Light Link Rail Is Too Loud? Take Our Poll…
• Sound Transit Begins Intensive Testing Of Light Rail
• Tukwila Link Light Rail Station To Open July 18th
• It’s Going To Cost $2.50 To Take Link Rail Downtown

Thursday morning (Dec. 17th), Sound Transit held a “sneak peek” ride for the press on the section of the Link Light Rail between the Tukwila and Sea-Tac Airport stations (which opens this Saturday), and Photographer Michael Brunk was able to stowaway on board, where he took these pics:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

From Sound Transit’s website:

The extension of the popular light rail service means holiday travelers will have a reliable, one-seat ride between downtown Seattle, the city of SeaTac and the airport, taking only 36 minutes. This new station provides a smooth, green travel option for the 20,000 people who work at the airport and the 30 million who travel in and out of it every year.

The SeaTac/Airport Station is connected to the fourth floor of the airport’s main parking garage. A covered, level walkway separated from the main parking area will lead passengers to the main terminal. Station amenities include boarding pass kiosks, and in the near future, a flight time information display.

The first 13.9 miles of Link opened in July with service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila. Link service runs from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.

SeaTac/ Airport Station opens just in time for the holidays: Sound Transit is the official transportation sponsor for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes.

For Central Link light rail service info, visit http://www.soundtransit.org/linkschedule

Artworks at the station
The new Sea-Tac Airport Station features four art installations. “Flying Sails,” by artist Werner Klotz, spans the mezzanine and platform levels of the station. The plates feature the names of First Nation tribes from Washington state and cities from around the world that share the latitude or longitude of Seattle.

Other works include Fernanda D’Agostino’s “Celestial Navigation” at the International Blvd. plaza; Christian Moeller’s “Restless” along the International Blvd. pedestrian bridge; and an exhibit on Northwest tribal culture on the mezzanine’s north end. The interpretive exhibit by Pacific Studios showcases a cast concrete canoe, and a display explaining the history of the Native American presence in the Puget Sound region.

The Port of Seattle alerts us that the north entrance to the Sea-Tac Airport Garage will close overnight for four nights beginning tonight (Monday, Dec. 14) and continuing through Thursday, Dec. 17th.

It will close at approximately 7pm each evening and will reopen each morning at approximately 5am.

The reason for the closure is that contractors will be removing the scaffolding below the pedestrian bridge between the Sound Transit Link Light Station and the Airport Parking Garage.

Link light service to Sea-Tac begins this coming Saturday, Dec. 19th.

During the north entrance closure, vehicles will be detoured via the upper drive (Departures level) to the south entrance of the garage. Rental car returns will be detoured to a temporary access road. Traffic exiting the garage will not be affected. Drivers should watch closely for the temporary directional signs.

by Ralph Nichols

When the United States eventually returns to space after the shuttle program is retired next year, “we can go back to the moon and on to other planets,” Apollo 8 astronaut William A. Anders said at the Museum of Flight in Tukwila recently.

Anders, a retired major general in the US Air Force Reserve, was keynote speaker at a private luncheon hosted by the museum and the Seattle Symphony honoring the Apollo missions. It was held on the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 12 – the second mission to land men on the moon.

In remarks given between symphonic works at the concert, Anders, the lunar module pilot on the Apollo 8 mission – the first manned lunar orbit mission, recalled that President Kennedy, determined “to demonstrate that America was not second rate … and would not lose the missile gap,” would land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s.

“And that was done,” added Anders, whose reflection on the Apollo 8 mission, “We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth,” has become a famous quote.

Even more famous are his pictures, the first taken of the earth from the moon, including “Earthrise,” which he took on Christmas Eve, 1968:

“The space program today,” he said at the Museum of Flight, “has had some spectacular flights … and spectacular successes with the space shuttle. But the shuttle will be grounded next year.”

Now NASA is working on new space vehicles, and with the vision of companies like Boeing and leaders like Bill Allen, the long-time CEO of the aerospace giant, the United States “will go back into space.”

Friday morning (Nov. 13th), Sound Transit announced that its brand new Link Light Rail train station at Sea-Tac Airport will open at 10am Saturday, Dec. 19th.

This new station will expand the system from the current end-of-line Tukwila stop that opened in July, and will provide travelers the ability to travel from downtown Seattle (or other locations along the line) directly to the airport.

Prior to its Dec. 19th opening, in order to get to the airport, riders must board a Metro bus in Tukwila. Now they can just ride along to the final stop.

“With the opening of the airport line in December, Sound Transit is giving a gift to holiday travelers by providing a fast and easy connection to downtown Seattle,” Senator Patty Murray said at Friday’s ceremony.  “We made history in July by opening the doors of light rail to the public and since that time our region has enjoyed a new convenient, environmentally-friendly, and low-cost way to get around.  This new line will continue to seamlessly connect our region’s transportation system like never before.”

The new station is located near the main airport parking garage, by the intersection of So. 176th Street and International Blvd., and includes a skybridge that will connect pedestrians to the airport ticketing concourse.

By 2020, Sound Transit is projecting that approximately 3,000 riders are expected to board trains daily at the Airport Station every day.

The next big phase of this project will be a $1.9 billion tunnel that will reach the University of Washington by 2016. Voters have also approved spending $18 billion more to extend lines stops in Federal Way, Lynnwood and Redmond.

According to spokesman Bruce Gray, train testing will begin Monday, No.v 16th between the Rainier Beach Station and the new airport stop.

Adult fare to downtown Seattle is $2.75, one way.

So far, ridership on the recently opened Seattle-Tukwila line has averaged around 16,100 per weekday in October, showing growth but still 10,000 short of the number projected for late 2010.

(fortunately, we’re not talking about moldy ones…)

The Port of Seattle Tuesday announced that Sea-Tac Airport won first place for the Best “Green” Concessions Practice award among airports in North America.

The “green” in the award is referring of course the ecological elements that the food vendors at the airport use.

The honor was announced during the 2009 Airports Council International – North America Concessions Conference in Indianapolis, at which roughly 200 representatives of North American airport concessions industry were in attendance.

Sea-Tac was also awarded second place for Best Convenience Retail Program.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by our airport peers for our integrated recycling, composting and food bank program,” said Mark Reis, the airport’s Managing Director. “The airport concessionaires and staff have worked tirelessly to divert recyclable and compostable materials from landfills and thereby reducing waste, feeding the needy and helping lead our region and the airport industry to a sustainable future.”

According to a Port press release, during 2008, airport concessionaires recycled more than 1,200 tons of material – an amount equivalent to the weight of six Boeing 747 aircraft.  During the same period, they avoided disposal costs and generated revenue through rebates on recyclables which totaled $160,000. Sea-Tac concessionaires made waste reduction and recycling a priority by recycling cardboard, used cooking oil, food waste and coffee grounds. Since 2001, Sea-Tac concessionaires diverted thousands of tons of recyclable material from landfills through recycling, composting, and food bank donation programs. Concessionaires donated food that served 8,000 meals to needy families in 2008.

Sea-Tac’s recycling programs are even estimated to have prevented the release of Greenhouse Gas emissions equivalent to removing 819 passenger cars from the road annually; conserved an amount of energy equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 83 households (USEPA Waste Reduction Model), and saved 3,700 cubic yards of landfill space.

The purpose of the Airport Concessions Contest is to inspire creativity in the industry and to recognize innovative and outstanding airport concessions. These awards help to demonstrate the growing importance of concessions to the total airport experience. This year’s contest received more than 160 nominations from airports of all sizes throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Here are the results of the categories involving Sea-Tac Airport:

• Best “Green” Concession Practice or Concept 
1st Place: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport 
2nd Place: C-Pier Expansion, Vancouver International Airport
3rd Place: Concourse D, Portland International Airport
Honorable Mention: Enroute Spa, Indianapolis International Airport
• Best Convenience Retail Program - Large Airport 
1st Place: Atrium, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport
2nd Place: Seattle Tacoma International Airport

Entries for this year’s contest were judged by an independent panel comprised of high-level professionals with no vested interest in concession operations, or the outcome of any one airport. In addition to the independent panel, one representative from the previous year’s overall winner was also involved in the judging process.

Previously, Sea-Tac Airport won the Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence in 2007 recognizing the Best Food and Beverage Program in North America. That year, three additional awards were won by Sea-Tac and its merchants: 1st place, Best Specialty Retail Program, 2nd place, Best New Food and Beverage Concept [Waji’s], and 2nd place, Best New Consumer Services Concept [butter LONDON].

You can now get free wi-fi at Sea-Tac Airport, courtesy of Google, which announced Tuesday that it is now sponsoring free wireless access at 47 airports around the US.

Sea-Tac’s free offer (along with Burbank Airport), are considered “indefinite,” while the others are scheduled to expire Jan. 15, 2010.

According to the Google Free Wi-Fi website:

When you’re traveling this holiday season, you can enjoy free WiFi at 47 participating airports and on every Virgin America flight. Just bring a WiFi-enabled laptop or mobile device and stay connected to family and friends for free while you travel now through January 15, 2010.

The promotion, in cooperation with three wireless carriers, is clearly a marketing effort to use free Wi-Fi to boost the Google brand.

Just be careful when logging on though – many hackers have set up “Free Wi-Fi” networks in public places, so make sure you’re actually hopping on board the Google one.

Story by Ralph Nichols
Photos & Video by Oran Viriyincy

With Sound Transit’s Link light rail trains running at last between Tukwila and downtown Seattle, it was time to experience this new commuter option. So with my girlfriend, I boarded a train for a round trip from the South 154th Street station late on a busy Seafair Saturday afternoon.

With lots happening downtown, we weren’t surprised to find the station’s main parking lot full. (Tukwila has Link’s only free park-and-ride lot, like those at several Metro bus stops around King County, although there is private paid parking near the Beacon Hill station.) But there were a number of empty spaces at the overflow parking lot across the street.

Five minutes after parking, we bought our tickets – $5 per person for the round trip – and one minute later boarded a train that had just come in. With trains running from Tukwila every 10 minutes at that hour, this gave us 9 minutes to look around on the inside before our journey north.

Each $4 million electric-powered car, with electricity from overhead wires, is 95 feet long – three times longer than one of Metro’s articulated buses. Each car can seat 74 passengers and accommodate a total of 200 riders with standing room only, and each train consists of two cars. The trains travel at a maximum speed of 55 mph on the elevated track near Tukwila and at 35 mph on the ground.

The train doors closed – rather quickly it seemed – at 5:50 p.m. Soon it pulled out of the station, right on time. Less than half a mile down the track, we agreed the ride was not as smooth as expected; still, the vibration isn’t bad at all. And the train moves along at a steady clip without delays for vehicles when streets intersect with the tracks.

Station stops took far less time than I expected. Passengers got on and off with ease and without delay, and we moved right along. Here is how our station stops went:

5:59 p.m. – Arrived at the Rainier Beach station.

6:00 – Depart.

6:02 – Othello station.

6:03 – Depart.

6:06 – Columbia City station.

6:07 – Depart.

6.10 – Mount Baker station.

6:10 – Depart … and head into the tunnel under Beacon Hill.

6:12 – Beacon Hill (tunnel) station.

6:13 – Depart … and back into daylight.

6:15 – SODO station.

6:15 – Depart.

6:17 – Stadium station.

6:18 – Depart … and enter the downtown bus tunnel.

6:20 – International District/Chinatown station.

6:21 – Depart.

6:23 – Pioneer Square station.

6:23 – Depart.

6:24 – University Street station.

6:25 – Depart.

6:26 – Westlake station, the end of the line.

Twenty-six minutes from Tukwila to midtown Seattle via the Rainier Valley. Not bad.

When we left Tukwila, there were about 12 riders in our car including us. Picking up more riders at most stations along the route (none at a couple), usually ranging from an additional 6 to 12 at each stop, our car was almost full of seated riders by the time we reached Westlake. No one had to stand. As we stepped off the train, it looked like its other car had carried about the same number.

Getting from the train to street level – at Pine Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues just below Nordstrom – is easy, as is returning to the train, which we did about an hour later. On the return trip, which took the same time, only 16 people were riding in both cars and only 8 beyond the Mount Baker station. It is logical to assume, given the number of cars still in the parking lot when we got back to Tukwila, that southbound ridership was much higher after events wrapped up downtown and people headed home.

Above ground, the view from a train car ranges from interesting, even scenic, along the elevated track north of the Tukwila station to very drab through part of Rainier Valley not far up the line.

A trip on Link light rail is comparable to a ride on Portland’s MAX, although a good stretch of that line parallels Interstate 84 – the major highway into that city – rather than winding through nearby neighborhoods along the way.

Sound Transit has reported that Link light rail carried an average of 12,000 riders per weekday in its first five days of regular paid service, and 16,900 riders on July 25 and 15,100 on July 26 during the first big Seafair weekend, when both the Mariners and Sounders also were in town.

With service on to Sea-Tac International Airport scheduled to begin in December, Sound Transit projects 26,600 one-way trips daily (13,300 round trips) along its 16-mile light-rail route by the end of 2010. The current trip from Tukwila to Seattle is 14 miles.

A footnote about our trip: While the actual travel time from Tukwila to Westlake was a reasonable 26 minutes, it took another 9 minutes to drive from my home and park, then another 14 minutes to get into the station, buy tickets, board a train and wait for it to depart. Riders who take light rail from other stations must walk, ride a bicycle or take a bus to get there since they have no park and ride lots.

Convenience, including time and destination, may be the determining factor for riding light rail for many commuters. I might take light rail from Tukwila to a Mariners game or dinner in the International District, but would not do so from, say, Columbia City due to lack of parking. At the same time, I probably would drive to SODO to shop or the Othello community to go to the park.

Regardless, once you’re moving on a light rail train, it’s a comfortable trip in good time to your stop. Still, at $2.3 billion for this line, it’s one expensive commute for the convenience it affords.

If you haven’t yet ridden Link light rail, here’s a video by Oran Viriyincy:

This section, approaching Tukwila Intl. Blvd., has the steepest grade in the system. You can hear the motors as the train climbs.

So…have YOU ridden Link light rail yet? Please take our poll or Comment below…

Sea-Tac Airport is re-opening a new, larger Cell Phone Waiting Lot at 9am on Monday, July 27th, just north of the old lot on Air Cargo Road

This new lot includes nearly 100 spaces for vehicles, doubling the size of the old one.

The Cell Phone Waiting Lot is a free service courtesy The Port of Seattle that allows drivers to wait up to 30 minutes until arriving passengers have deplaned, collected luggage and called to be picked up outside of Baggage Claim. Drivers must stay with their vehicles.

The Port cautions however:

“Please be aware there is no parking or waiting allowed on the airport roadway shoulders at any time.”

The previous lot was closed for six weeks in order to facilitate a new air cargo operation in the cargo terminal building next to the lot. The building now houses a number of air cargo airline operations that ship freight of all kinds, including exports of Washington state’s bumper cherry crop. The Port of Seattle estimates lease and cargo related earnings of $40,000 per week from that facility during the closure period, or over $240,000 in total. The new lot was not available to open until Monday.

Driving Directions To the Cell Phone Lot:

• From the Southbound Airport Expressway: Take the Air Cargo Rd./Cell Phone Lot exit, turn right onto 170th, turn right onto Air Cargo Road and follow that road until you see the Cell Phone Waiting Lot on your left.
• From Southbound International Blvd: Turn right onto 170th, turn right onto Air Cargo Road and follow that road until you see the Cell Phone Waiting Lot on your left.

From the Cell Phone Lot to Baggage Claim (Arrivals Drive):
Take a right out of the Cell Phone Lot and make left on Air Cargo Road (sign reads to terminal). Follow signs to Arrivals.

For more information on Sea-Tac Airport’s parking options, visit their website: http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/ground/

Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail opens for passenger service between Tukwila and downtown Seattle this Saturday, July 18th, with FREE rides all weekend before moving to regular paid service on Monday.

Here’s what riders can expect during opening weekend:

• Sat. 7/18 at 8:20am: Inaugural ribbon cutting at Mt. Baker Station. Immediately prior to the ceremony, news media will join the mayors of Seattle and Tukwila on the station platform as their trains arrive carrying representatives from their respective cities.
• After the ceremony: ticket-holders for the two inaugural trains (one northbound and one southbound) will move to the platform and board the trains. The majority of inaugural ride ticket holders are members of the public who received tickets through radio giveaways and other promotions.

SCHEDULES & SERVICES:

• The free opening weekend light rail service will operate with special hours:
  • Saturday – 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Sunday – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Trains will depart each station about every 7-1/2 minutes throughout the day. Sound Transit has made provisions for a high volume of riders on the opening weekend; lines are expected. The number of riders picked up at each station will be limited to a predetermined number to preserve capacity for passengers to board at other stations. Each launch weekend train will carry about 350 riders, including standees.
• All riders must deboard upon reaching one of the line’s termini (Westlake for northbound trains and Tukwila for southbound trains). Upon reaching a terminus, riders can wait in line again to return via light rail, or choose the potentially quicker option of bypassing the light rail line and returning via free shuttle buses. Special shuttle buses will run along the route opening weekend and stop at every station. All rides are ADA accessible.

WHAT SERVICES WILL BE AT STATIONS:

• Each station will feature a welcome portal staffed by Sound Transit to provide information about wait times and answer questions about opening weekend and regular service.
• Portable restrooms will be provided at each station, along with family-friendly acoustic entertainment at all stations. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from nearby local restaurants and stores. There will be a food vendor at Tukwila International Boulevard Station.

PLEASE NOTE: Free connector buses from Tukwila to Sea-Tac International Airport will be available from July 20 through the opening of direct light rail service to the airport in December 2009. However, the connector buses will not be in service on the opening weekend.

EXPECT CROWDS

• While Sound Transit is not making a specific prediction for the number of riders on the opening weekend, provisions are in place to manage a significant turnout. In addition to the start of Link service on July 18, about 60,000 fans expected to attend a noon Sounders FC soccer match at Qwest Field. The Bite of Seattle at the Seattle Center will also draw about 450,000 people over the weekend.

GETTING TO STATIONS:

• There is no parking at Link stations in Seattle, and parking at Tukwila will be extremely limited. Riders are encouraged to bus, walk or ride their bicycle to a station. Bicyclists are encouraged to leave their bikes at special staffed “bike corrals” that will be available on opening weekend. For a list of transit centers and bus routes that can connect you with downtown Seattle on July 18 and 19, visit http://www.soundtransit.org/Projects-and-Plans/Project-Updates/Traveling-Downtown-July18-19.xml. For more information about all Sound Transit services and help planning your entire trip, visit www.soundtransit.org.

MORE INFORMATION

• For detailed maps and much more information on opening weekend and regular service see: www.soundtransit.org/linklaunch.

SOUND TWEETSIT:

• For up-to-the-second information during opening weekend events follow Sound Transit on Twitter at @ST_TravelLight (link here). We’ll tweet all day about which stations have the shortest lines, what’s happening at the stations and behind-the-scenes updates.
• Twitter updates will also be posted at www.soundtransit.org/linklaunch.

On Tuesday, June 9th, Sea-Tac Airport will close its Cell Phone Waiting Lot for about a month in order to replace it with a location nearly double in size.

The new location, just north on Air Cargo Road, will create nearly 100 spaces for vehicles, doubling the size of the current lot. It is expected to open in early July.

The closure will allow the modification of the new lot with barriers, striping and signage.

The Cell Phone Waiting Lot is a free service from The Port of Seattle that allows drivers to wait up to 30 minutes in the lot until arriving passengers have deplaned, collected luggage and called to be picked up outside of Baggage Claim. Drivers must stay with their vehicles.

Please be aware there is no parking or waiting allowed on the airport roadway shoulders at any time.

The alternative for drivers who normally use the Cell Phone Lot is to use the Hourly Parking at the Terminal Main Garage, which charges $2 for 30 minutes.

For more information on Sea-Tac Airport’s parking options, visit their website here.

Burien’s new Transit Center will open this coming Saturday, May 30th as part of King County Metro Transit seasonal service change.

Metro’s new Burien Transit Center has six off-street bus bays for more convenient boarding.

The $12.5 million Burien Transit Center features six bus bays for passenger boarding, including one dedicated to paratransit service. All of the boarding areas are now located off-street, enhancing safety for both transit customers and motorists in downtown Burien.

The transit center, located at 209 SW 148th Street (near where Rooty’s used to be), has covered waiting areas with benches and windscreens, as well as etched glass art on its awnings. The adjacent park-and-ride lot has parking for 340 vehicles and includes five charging stations for electric vehicles. The transit center has lighting and 24/7 monitored security. It is served by Metro routes 120, 121, 122, 123, 131, 132, 133, 134, 139, 140, 180, and Sound Transit Express Route 560.

Metro’s project team worked cooperatively with the City of Burien to integrate the transit center into the city’s downtown revitalization plans. The transit center is close to civic amenities, such as Burien Town Square – home of the new city hall, King County Library, and mixed-use retail and residential development.

In addition to the new transit center, Metro is also expanding operating hours in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT), consolidating park-and-ride spaces in the Northgate area, and revising some bus routes and schedules to update service.

by Scott Schaefer

Monday afternoon (4/27), the King County Council held a special session on the swine flu with public health experts, who reassured councilmembers that despite heightened monitoring, the swine flu that recently originated in Mexico has not yet spread to the area.

No cases of swine flu have yet to be reported in Burien, let alone King County or the entire state of Washington, according to Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. He said the 40 cases confirmed in the U.S. have been mild, with no serious illnesses or deaths.

“At Public Health we are actively preparing with our partners for the real possibility of swine flu here in our region,” said Dr. Fleming. “Whether or not swine flu arrives in King County, now is the time to get prepared. The more we are all prepared at home, the better we’ll be able to respond and recover.”

He said Public Health has asked local health care providers to notify them of suspected swine flu cases and has made arrangements with the state Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for the submittal of suspect lab specimens.

Dr. Jeff Duchin, Disease Control Officer for Communicable Disease at Public Health – Seattle & King County, said the CDC has asked to receive all suspect lab specimens to ensure that cases that may appear as seasonal flu are not in fact the new strain of swine flu. He also said local providers are being advised on how to screen patients who present flu-like symptoms and that Public Health will investigate any cases of severe unexplained respiratory illness. Dr. Duchin said Public Health is recommending that the public not seek health care that they would not otherwise seek.

“Today I was pleased to hear that King County is as prepared as any jurisdiction in the event of a pandemic flu,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson, chair of the King County Board of Health. “However, I am concerned that given the cuts proposed in the state budget and impending cuts to the County budget, our health department will have reduced capacity to respond to emergencies in the future.”

“The Council’s work in recent years calling for a pandemic flu response plan and stockpiling of Tamiflu means we are mobilized and ready to respond if swine flu strikes King County,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, sponsor of legislation to create a Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan for King County.

Dr. Fleming said the framework already laid out by the King County Council for the County’s comprehensive planning for pandemic flu will provide effective guidance and that the current response will provide useful lessons for updating the plan. The Council in 2007 adopted the Pandemic Flu Preparedness Plan that recognizes:

• the County’s role in regional public health and emergency management response.
• the County’s duty as both a regional service provider and a local service provider for continued provision of police and paramedics, bus service, wastewater treatment and other public services in the event of a pandemic flu, and
• the County’s duty as a large employer to ensure that its own workplaces help prevent the spread of pandemic flu.

At Sea-Tac Airport, there’s no unusual alert or extra screenings of passengers yet, according to Port of Seattle spokesman Perry Cooper.

However, the airport does have a quarantine zone at the south satellite that has room for several hundred people. Apparently it’s only been used once before during a screening for avian flu.

Alaska Airlines flies daily to and from Mexico, and the next plane from Mexico City is due to arrive Wednesday.

More information about emergency health preparedness can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/preparedness/pandemicflu.aspx.

For more information on Swine Flu, visit this website.

Here’s a “Swine Flu” map that shows that the nearest cases were up in Vancouver, B.C. and involved two men who had recently traveled to Mexico:

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

Sound Transit announced Monday (4/20) that the opening day for the Link light rail service from Tukwila to downtown Seattle will be Saturday, July 18th.

Transit Board Chair and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels made the announcement Monday at a press conference.

Fares are free for the first weekend, but after that will go to $2.50 each way for adults from Tukwila to downtown Seattle – the same as a bus ride. Youth base fares will start at $1.25 and have a maximum fare of $2.00 and Senior/disabled fares will start at $.75 and have a maximum fare of $1.25 under the adopted structure.

Link trains will run from 5am to 1am Monday through Saturday, and 6am to midnight on Sundays.

The launch will begin a new era for public transportation in the Puget Sound region, with work underway to expand the first 15 miles of light rail service to a 55-mile regional system over the next decade and a half.

“We are counting down to a milestone. On July 18, we will make history,” said Nickels. “We invite the entire community to come out and take a test ride, and enjoy a system that will grow north, south and east. Light rail will transform how we travel, how we grow and how we live.”

July’s light rail opening will launch service between Tukwila and downtown Seattle. The line includes stops in downtown Seattle, SODO, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley neighborhoods and Tukwila.

Frequent bus connector service will carry light rail passengers between Tukwila and Sea-Tac International Airport starting Monday, July 20 until the opening of direct airport service in December.

Rides will be free opening weekend. Sound Transit will announce detailed opening celebration plans in the coming weeks. Information will be posted at http://www.soundtransit.org/linklaunch.

Construction of light rail between downtown and the University of Washington is underway, with a scheduled opening in 2016. With the passage of the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure in November 2008. light rail is scheduled to reach all the way to Lynnwood, Redmond’s Overlake area and the Star Lake/Redondo area near Federal Way by 2023.

Starting in July of this year, it’s going to cost $2.50 to take the Sound Transit Link light rail from the new Tukwila station to downtown Seattle.

On Thursday (March 26th), the Sound Transit Board adopted the fare structure for the Link light rail system that will open in July. Light rail fares will be comparable to regional buses under the distance-based system, with a $1.75 base fare plus $.05 per mile, rounded up or down to the nearest quarter.

The $2.50 fee to travel from the airport to downtown will be the same as a bus ride. Youth base fares will start at $1.25 and have a maximum fare of $2.00 and Senior/disabled fares will start at $.75 and have a maximum fare of $1.25 under the adopted structure.

“We’ve said from the start that light rail fares should be in line with local bus services, and today’s decision does just that,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

The fare structure supports Sound Transit’s goal of recovering 52 percent of annual operational costs by 2017.

The fares will apply on the whole light rail line, including the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT). The Board considered offering free service in the DSTT, which would have required increasing the base fare by $.25, for a maximum fare of $2.75. Sound Transit conducted extensive public outreach on the options, collecting nearly 200 comments via the web, phone and 16 events. Overall, opinions between the two options were virtually split. The majority of comments at 10 meetings in the Rainier Valley and Beacon Hill — areas that are home to many future Link riders — favored the lower base fare achieved by charging for trips in the DSTT.

Link light rail is on schedule to open for passenger service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila in July and to Sea-Tac International Airport by the end of the year. Buses will carry passengers between Tukwila and the airport until the direct airport connection opens in December.

More information about the new fare structure can be found here: www.soundtransit.org/linkfares.

The 360-degree view of the new Tukwila Sound Transit Link Station above is courtesy Francis Zera Photography / zeraphoto.com, created for client PCL Construction.

According to the National Weather Service, we may be on the receiving end of some very cold temps and yes, maybe even snow in the Burien area over the next 24 hours, and the latest statement indicates potential precipitation in the afternoon/early evening:

Statement as of 4:59 PM PDT on March 08, 2009

…Another chance for lowland snow Monday followed by cold temperatures…

An Arctic front will slide out of the Fraser valley Monday morning… pushing south during the day. The front will drop up to a quick inch of snow as it pushes south through the northern interior Monday morning. It will likely reach the Seattle Metro area around noontime… where it will start to converge with slightly more moist air. As the front pushes into the Puget southern sound and southwest interior in the afternoon… there will be the potential for a couple of inches of snowfall.

Snow showers will come to an end from north to south on Monday… lingering into Monday evening for southern sections. Drier and colder air will quickly settle over western Washington Monday night.

Due to the Arctic origins of this airmass… record or near-record low temperatures are forecast for Monday and Tuesday night.
Temperatures will slowly moderate as the week progresses.

The Burien Transit Center is taking shape, and is reportedly on target to begin operations on Saturday, May 30th.

The center, located on SW 148th, across from the Safeway complex where Rooty’s Sports Bar used to be, will be the main transit hub for the Burien area.

Here’s a direct quote from Elizabeth Morgan, Project Manager for King County:

The Burien Transit Center construction is going very well.

We are on target to open the new transit center with our June Transit Service Change process and coaches will start using the center on Saturday, May 30, 2009 with the first regular weekday of service out of the new center on Monday, June 1, 2009.

The transit center moves to the off street location off of SW 148th Street. There is one main platform that will serve the majority of service and a smaller platform that will serve ACCESS and some less frequent routes. Customers will now be able to transfer without crossing the street and will utilize our improved waiting environment.

Additionally many coaches will “layover” on site. This will increase schedule reliability and save money.

The new center has improved passenger amenities and security elements.

It also has some etched glass awnings and panels, which you can see in the photo below:

Anyone still remember when this place used to be home to Rooty’s?

This town has come a long way since the only busing done on this land was for dirty dishes.

by Nicholas Wolfe

About 100 Highline residents and local public officials, angry and frustrated with flight operations involving the third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport, voiced their complaints to Port of Seattle representatives at a special meeting of the Highline Forum on Thursday.

While noise and pollution from low-flying commercial jets using the new runway – and the negative impact these have on property values – are significant concerns, their primary grievance is that the port either reneged on assurances to the community that it would have limited use as a backup landing strip in inclement weather or misrepresented the actual intent for its operation.

The disagreement between the airport’s residential neighbors and the port over use of the third runway was highlighted in an exchange between State Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, and Sea-Tac Managing Director Mark Reis.

A pre-construction supplemental Environmental Impact Statement said the third runway would be operated “in bad and good weather conditions” along with the other two runways to maintain air traffic flow, Reis noted.

“During poor and good weather, this is increasing the efficient operating capability of the airport during peak hours,” he added. “We never said it would be used in bad weather only.

But, countered Keiser, “The community was led (by the port) to believe that the third runway would be used in cases of bad weather when safe landings created a need (for its operation). That was the premise that the Environmental Impact Statement. Now here we are with the third runway in operation.

“The premise seems to have changed from being used as a foul-weather type of facility. It’s been shifted, and I am very concerned about what that does to the process on the EIS,” she said.”

Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler, co-chairman of the Highline Forum, told Reis, “The senator and I are on the same page here.” During the decade-long debate over the third runway, he recalled, port representatives “brought to the ACC (Airport Communities Coalition) over and over that it would be used for arrivals only in bad weather…. That’s what the port has been saying.”

The Highline Forum, comprised of the cities of Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, Tukwila, SeaTac and Federal Way, the Highline School District, and the port, was organized after construction of the third runway got underway to promote cooperative relationships between Sea-Tac and neighboring cities. It replaced the Airport Communities Coalition that for a decade tried to block the third runway and secured environmental regulations for airport operations.

Earlier, Sheckler asked Reis, “Is it fair to say that the third runway is going to be used as a fully functioning runway?” “Yes,” Reis replied. Since it became operational on Nov. 20, Sea-Tac has used two runways in bad conditions and all three in good weather.

But Federal Aviation Administration, not the airport, directs air traffic – including the use of runways, Reis and Stan Shepherd, manager of airport noise programs, both said. The port manages general operations at Sea-Tac, including noise control and mitigation in impacted neighborhoods.

Three FAA representatives were in attendance as observers.

Sheckler also quizzed Reis about how long it will take for the impacts of third runway operations to be fully mitigated by the port. Although it could take between three and five years, Reis said, “The public process does not need to be drawn out too long.”

The supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, which was prepared in 1997, estimated that by 2010 almost 28 percent of all flights arriving at Sea-Tac would use the third runway. But according to data from the port, 44 percent of inbound planes landed on it through Dec. 17. This, port officials said, reflects the low visibility that generally occurs in November and December, and that this figure is expected to go down in the spring and summer months.

Reis said the port “did the best we could to project what was going to be the noise associated with operation of the runway,” and that the FAA now is looking for ways to reduce its impact, including not using the runway between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and not landing older, noisier jets on it.

Dr. Dagmar Cronn, president of the South Park Neighborhood Association, said residents in her community “are unhappy or shocked about the increase in noise. Suddenly they noticed more planes and more noise overhead.” She asked that mitigation be provided by the port to offset the decline in home values and the disruption of sleep patterns and the quality of life.

“The noise is unacceptable,” said Benjamin Stark of Des Moines. Asking where the money for mitigation will come from with mounting deficits in both the federal and state governments, he suggested, “It seems to me that the thing to do is just shut it down.”

Several residents described how third runway flight operations have destroyed their ability to live normal lives in their homes and deflated the value of their property.

Reis said the port will continue to study its impacts on the surrounding area. In the meantime, he cautioned residents, the third runway will be in full operation from April through late October while Sea-Tac’s first runway is completely rebuilt.

3:30pm 12/23/08 UPDATE: As of 3pm, the National Weather Service released this Winter Storm Advisory – 2 to 4 inches of snow are expected Wed. Dec. 24th, with a transition to rain also:

… Winter Weather Advisory in effect from midnight tonight to 4 am PST Thursday…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for snow… which is in effect from midnight tonight to 4 am PST Thursday. This upgrades the Winter Storm Watch which had been in effect.

Snow is expected to begin after midnight tonight and continue through Wednesday morning. The snow will be light at first but then increase its intensity on Wednesday morning. Late on Wednesday morning or early in the afternoon… locations below 500 to 1000 feet will transition to a cold rain… while higher hills continue with snow through Wednesday afternoon.

Snowfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected. Significantly higher amounts are possible on hills above 500 to 1000 feet or anywhere that precipitation might continue as snow through the afternoon and evening.

Snow showers could bring additional accumulations on Christmas day.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means that periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibilities… and use caution while driving.

Also, this update about garbage collection in Normandy Park:

Garbage Collection
Allied Waste has not been able to collect residential garbage and recycling due to road conditions. City staff and Allied Waste have arranged for residential drop off services at two locations in Normandy Park.

Residential customers will have access to collection vehicles/containers for residential garbage and recyclables on Wednesday, December 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the locations below:

City Hall Parking Lot – 801 S.W. 174th Street

and

Marvista Park Parking Lot – 19900 4th Avenue S.W.

Regular collection services will resume when road conditions improve and collection vehicles are able to safely operate on residential streets.

11:15am 12/23/08 UPDATE: Looks like another snow storm is coming tonight (Tues. 12/23), with up to six more inches of snow predicted to fall overnight.

Perhaps we will indeed have a “White Christmas” after all?

AREA UPDATES:

• City Hall and the Parks office will be open today until 2pm.
• Burien Parks and Recreation programs are cancelled for today.
• No garbage/recycling pickup today (more details here).
• Road crews continue to plow and sand streets starting with main arterials and moving to secondary streets when they are able.  More details about priority routes can be found on our Snow & Ice Routes Map [PDF].  Please drive with extreme caution and only if necessary.

WEATHER UPDATE:

Here’s the latest Winter Storm Watch from the National Weather Service:

… Winter Storm Watch in effect from late tonight through Wednesday evening…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Storm Watch… which is in effect from late tonight through Wednesday evening.

Another low pressure system is expected to drop southeast into the Pacific northwest late tonight into Wednesday. A relatively cold air mass will be in place ahead of this system. With the cold air in place… up to another six inches of new snow is possible by Wednesday evening with the snow beginning sometime late tonight. As the system moves through… the low level wind flow will become southwesterly. This should warm up the air mass enough to change the precipitation from snow to rain. This transition is expected to occur Wednesday afternoon but there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the timing of this transition if it even occurs at all.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Storm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe winter weather. If you must travel in the watch area… carry an extra flashlight… food… water… and blankets in case of emergency.

Live webcam view from Sea-Tac Airport.
Refresh page to get latest image.

Also, according to the Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport’s stranded travelers are starting to clear out, which must be a relief for everyone who got stuck there.

A local tech Writer named John Cook got stranded at Sea-Tac for seven hours, and here’s a snippet from his blog:

Seven hours.

That’s how long my fellow passengers and I spent waiting on the airport tarmac Sunday as an uncharacteristic winter blast brought SeaTac airport to a grinding halt.

Here’s a link to his interesting first-hand account.

And here’s an update from the Port on the current airport conditions:

The airport is open and the runways are clear for operations. The situation is improving, but there are still flight cancellations and delays. Please check with your airline before starting for the airport. You can also check your flight status online (http://hosting.portseattle.org/fids/FlightInfo.aspx) on the Port’s Web site or via text messaging.

If your scheduled flight is canceled, rebook travel over the Internet or over the phone; do not come to the airport. Long lines at the ticket counters make it more efficient and quicker to rebook off-site.

If a scheduled flight is planned to depart, allow extra travel time to the airport to accommodate challenging regional road conditions and lines at ticket counters and security checkpoints. Plan to arrive at the airport two hours before departure time. It’s a good idea to bring necessary items (diapers, snacks, etc.) in case there are delays and/or long wait times. Airport concessions are open, stocked and prepared to serve.

The airport is continuing to provide volunteer staff in the terminal to assist passengers, answer questions, and assist with line control / crowd control issues.

Live webcam view from Sea-Tac Airport.
Refresh page to get latest image.

Sea-Tac Airport is apparently jammed full of people stuck as the result of numerous flight cancellations and delays.

Apparently Alaska and Horizon Airlines resumed limited service Monday after thousands of stranded travelers spent the night at the airport, where hundreds of flights have been canceled since Friday.

If you’ve got travel plans and want to get the latest information, we recommend a two-pronged approach using both your telephone and internet:

1. Call your airline via the number listed below (or on your itinerary/ticket).
2. At the same time, try accessing the Port of Seattle’s travel info website or your specific airline’s website.
   

So basically, you’ll have a phone in your ear while you surf the web, and eventually you’ll either get through or you’ll get your update. Just don’t give up.

Here’s the latest update from the Port of Seattle (access their airport travel info website here):

The airlines continue to face a number of challenges during this weather event.

Many flights been canceled.  Please check your flight before coming to Sea-Tac Airport.

See contact information below:

• Aeromexico 800 237-6639
• Air Canada (including Air Canada regional airlines) 800 247-2262
• Air France 800 237-2747
• AirTran Airways 800-247-8726
• Alaska Airlines 800 426-0333
• American Airlines 800 433-7300
• Asiana Airlines 800 227-4262
• British Airways 800 247-9297
• Continental Airlines 800 525-0280
• Delta Air Lines 800 221-1212
• EVA Air 800 695-1188
• Frontier Airlines 800 432-1359
• Hainan Airlines 888 688-8813
• Hawaiian Airlines 800 367-5320
• Horizon Air 800 547-9308
• JetBlue Airways 1-800-JETBLUE
• Korean Air 800-438-5000, (206) 241-1576
• Lufthansa Airlines 800 399-LUFT
• Midwest Airlines 800 452-2022
• Northwest Airlines 800 225-2525
• Scandinavian Airlines 800 221-2350
• Southwest Airlines 800 435-9792
• Sun Country Airlines 800 359-6786
• United Airlines (including United Express) 800 241-6522
• US Airways 800 428-4322
• Virgin America 877 359-8474

The white blanket is really covering up the Brrrien area today (including the B-Town Blogmobile above), with upwards of over a foot of snow, and here are some updates to keep in mind as you either continue to hunker down or dare to go out:

SEA-TAC AIRPORT UPDATE:

• Some flights are resuming, others remain canceled. Best bet is to check the Port of Seattle’s airport website here (note: their website appears to be overloaded so be patient). Here’s a statement from that site: Many airlines have suspended or canceled flights, while others are continuing to operate. Travelers should check with their specific airlines for schedule confirmations or changes. Inclement weather at several other major airports has caused delayed arrivals and departures, causing the airlines to have aircraft at the wrong airports for scheduled flights (i.e. if an expected flight from Denver didn’t arrive at Sea-Tac as scheduled in the evening, it cannot depart in the morning).

SCHOOL CLOSURES:

• We’re sure you’re aware of this, but just in case – ALL PUBLIC & PRIVATE CHILDREN’S SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, as it’s now Winter Break.
• Highline School District’s Admin offices are also CLOSED.
• South Seattle Community College is CLOSED.
• Highline Community College is CLOSED.

CITY OF BURIEN:

• Burien City Hall will be open for limited hours, 10:00am – 2:00pm on Monday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Dec. 23. Please check http://www.burienwa.gov for weather related closures and information.
• All Burien Parks and Recreation scheduled programs have been canceled for Monday.
• Road crews continue to plow and sand streets as snow has continued to fall, starting with main arterials and moving to secondary streets when they are able.  More details about priority routes can be found on our Snow & Ice Routes Map [PDF].  Please drive with extreme caution and only if necessary.

CITY OF NORMANDY PARK:

• Normandy Park’s City Hall is CLOSED today due to weather and travel conditions. City Hall will open late on Tuesday, December 23^rd at 10:00AM and close at 2PM.
• Road crews reported most of the main routes have been plowed and sanded.  Please drive with extreme caution and only if necessary.

LIBRARY UPDATES:

• Far as we can tell, both the Burien and White Center library branches are open today from 10am-9pm.
• More info on library closures available here.

OTHER CLOSURES:

• Garbage & recycling service has been CANCELED for today; Waste Management says: “Double volume next regular collection day for each missed container” when in fact it would be TRIPLE VOLUME!; more info here: http://www.wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard.html
• King County District Court will be CLOSED.

METRO BUS SERVICE:

• Once again due to the weather and dangerous driving conditions, King County Metro Transit will be operating approximately half of its normal bus service for Monday, Dec. 22. Information about bus status is available on Metro’s Ice & Snow page, which is updated frequently. You can also call the Metro Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000, but call volumes are high and there may be a wait to talk to a CIO representative.

OTHER TIPS/COMMENTS:

• To see live road conditions via webcam feeds, go to our Webcams page.
• If you haven’t started your car since the snow first fell, you should start it up. Also, wipe off the windshield and do NOT turn on your wipers, unless your windshield is warmed up and there’s no ice around them – turning on frozen windshield wipers can strip the gears and thus ruin them.
• Make sure your pets are okay. BTB Reader Katie Hicks sends us this email: “Could you please remind people that it is FREEZING outside and they should let their pets that live outdoors IN! It is making me sick to my stomach that I have seen dogs sleeping outside!”

Live webcam view from Sea-Tac Airport
(refresh page to see latest image).

Cancellations and delays continue at Sea-Tac Airport, and here’s the latest bulletin from the Port of Seattle:

Airport is open – two runways are operational.

There are many airline-initiated cancellations.

Backlog of stranded passengers awaiting rebooking.

No local hotel rooms available, many passengers sleeping in airport.

Travelers are advised to contact their airline for flight status and to attempt to rebook from home.

Airport concessions are having trouble getting deliveries, anyone coming to the airport should come prepared.

If you’re planning on flying out anytime soon, be sure to check your flight status at the airport’s Web site: http://hosting.portseattle.org/fids.

To see live road conditions via webcam feeds, go to our Webcams page.

“Woo! Snow happens even in Burien” by Flickr Photog Crocidillicus

The big storm’s a-comin’ folks, and should hit sometime tonight and continue through Sunday morning.

Most likely there will be significant snowfall in the Burien area (4-8 more inches), since we lie in the zone where the storm will hang out. Also be prepared, as there will be high winds and possibly sleet, which means ice on power lines, tree branches, etc. and you know what that means – power outages.

Here’s the Weather Advisory as of Saturday 12/20/08 at 5:18am:

The Winter Storm Warning is now in effect from 4 PM this afternoon to 10 am PST Sunday.

A major winter storm is on tap for later today into Sunday. Heavy snow is expected to develop along the coast this afternoon and then spread into the interior of western Washington early this evening. Heaviest snow will occur on the Kitsap peninsula… along Hood Canal… and from Olympia and Chehalis west to the central coast near Ocean Shores. 10 to 18 inches of snow is expected close to the Hood Canal. Other locations within this area should get 5 to 12 inches of snow.

Along the I-5 Corridor North of Tacoma… including Seattle and Everett… storm total snowfall of 4 to 8 inches is expected. In general… lighter amounts will occur near the Cascade foothills with heavier amounts farther west along the shores of Puget Sound. Some parts of eastern King County… where wind is a big threat… will receive 1 inch or less of snowfall. The heaviest snowfall is expected between 7 PM tonight and 4 am Sunday morning.

Late tonight into Sunday morning… locations from Tacoma on south through Lewis County and west to the coast the precipitation could possibly change over to sleet or freezing rain. Freezing rain is most likely in Grays Harbor County and the lower Chehalis valley. If more precipitation occurs in the form of freezing rain than snow… then an ice storm would be possible with ice accumulations in excess of one quarter of an inch. This is not a certainty but should be kept in mind. Ice storms are capable of causing power lines and large tree branches to snap and cause major travel disruptions.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow… sleet… and ice are expected or occurring. Strong winds are also possible. This will make travel very hazardous or impossible.

Have any cool snow/ice photos to share?

Please either email us or add ‘em to our Flickr Group so we can share them!

Some angry Ranters are venting on Craigslist about the lack of snowplows in Burien today – check out this conversation:

Where the F*** are the plows in Burien??? (B-Town)

Reply to: pers-963279636@craigslist.org ^[?]
Date: 2008-12-18, 4:36PM PST

They didn’t plow or sand last storm until it was melting and I haven’t seen them today.

I thought we paid taxes for those services.

Oh wait we have a budget deficit thanks to Ron (I can’t count) Sims.

The cars with bad tires and no four wheel drive do us all a favor and stay off the friggin road.

Re: Snowplows in burienReply to: pers-963309771@craigslist.org ^[?]
Date: 2008-12-18, 5:02PM PST

You think they sleep at the county maintenance shop?

Probably!

Did anyone call and wake them up?

Re: Where the F*** are the plows in Burien??? (seahurst)Reply to: pers-963333409@craigslist.org ^[?]
Date: 2008-12-18, 5:27PM PST

The very question many residents have been asking all week.

Doesn’t anyone in the Public Works Department know anything about plowing and sanding? They plowed my street Sunday and didn’t put any sand down- instant skating rink!

After days of phone calls from my neighbors and I they came by Wednesday afternoon and sanded. Great timing as it’s all under 5 inches of snow now!

I saw a sand truck on First Avenue this afternoon but not any on 148th or 152nd.

The best part was sitting in the 909 having coffee and watching a guy put chains on his rear tires. Hops in the car and whooops- front wheel drive.

He must work for the city!

So…what do YOU think about Burien’s response to the bad weather conditions? Email us or Comment below:

3:30pm UPDATE: Still snowing in Burien (although lighter down near the water) and our own estimate as to accumulation is between 4 and 5 inches, as measured on top of the official Mini Cooper Blogmobile and a backyard table.

Here are some snow photos taken by BTBers Scott Schaefer and Janet Grella:

More snow photos coming soon. If you have some, please either email us directly or add ‘em to our Flickr Group so we can share them.

PREVIOUS UPDATES:

12:25pm UPDATE: Highline Public Schools is sending its middle and high school students home early; here’s their bulletin:

• Buses will pick up students at Puget Sound Skills Center at 11:45 a.m. and return them to their high schools.
• High schools will be dismissed at noon.
• Middle schools will be dismissed at 12:30.
• Emergency bus stops will be used on all bus routes.
• All after-school and evening activities, sports, and events and evening building use have been canceled.
• Also, we hope to make decisions about tomorrow this evening.

11:25am UPDATE: The snow is still falling (harder now) in and around Burien; looks like we’re close to 2-3 inches down by the water, which usually is half of what’s accumulating up in the main B-Town area; Postal Service has delivered though (nuthin’ stops them), and according to BTB Reader Jenn Ramirez-Robson:

“Road conditions are getting treacherous in and around Burien. 2 inches in Shorewood and cars spinning out everywhere. No one should drive unless they absolutely have to.”

Jenn also alerts us to this rather interesting statement from the Highline School District’s website:

Due to late developing snow, we have closed all elementary schools today. Because weather conditions worsened after secondary students were already in school or en route to school, we have decided to keep all middle schools and high schools open today. We will monitor conditions throughout the day and determine whether an early release is necessary.

School delay or closure decisions are very difficult to make because they must be made very early in the morning with the best information we have at the time. We recognize that schedule changes, especially late-breaking ones, create many difficulties for families and employees. We regret the inconvenience. Please know that we make these decisions with student safety as our primary consideration.

Have some snow photos to share? Please either email us or add ‘em to our Flickr Group so we can share them.

8:48am UPDATE: ALL HIGHLINE GRADE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED TODAY, while Middle & High Schools will have a 1-hour delay.

Here’s the latest school info (our source is http://www.schoolreport.org):

• Highline School District: ALL GRADE SCHOOLS CLOSED; MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOLS 1 HOUR LATE
  Limited Bus Transportation. No Out-of-District Transport.
• John F. Kennedy High School: CLOSED
• St. Francis of Assisi: CLOSED. All Activities Canceled
• Hamlin-Robinson School: CLOSED
• Westside School: CLOSED
  
• Seattle Public Schools: CLOSED
• Tukwila Public Schools: CLOSED
• Federal Way SD: 2 HOURS LATE
  Emergency Bus Routes, No AM Kindergarten, Preschool, or Shuttles. No AM/PM HDST, ECEAP, ELO, or Puget Sound Skills, No Activity Buses, No Elementary Breakfast Programs, No Out-of-District Transportation.

And here’s the latest from the National Weather Service:

… Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 10 am PST this morning…

A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for the Seattle Bremerton area… the Tacoma area… and the Hood Canal area until 10 am PST this morning.

Snow showers will continue this morning then decrease this afternoon. Additional accumulations will be around an inch. North winds pushing southward across the Puget Sound region will converge with pre-existing south winds… causing snow showers to form. In addition… snow showers moving inland from the coast will cross the south part of Puget Sound.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means that periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibilities… and use caution while
driving.

Also, if you have to drive anywhere outside of Burien, please don’t – or at least check the webcams below (for latest images refresh your browser window):

Also keep your eye on the Weather Button on the right sidebar for the current temp and any new weather “Advisory.”

Looks like most schools are starting two hours late today (Tuesday, Dec. 16th), and here are the details:

Highline School District:
2 Hours Late. Limited Bus Transportation. No A. M. Kindergarten. No ECEAP/Preschool. No Out-of-District Transportation. No After-School Activity Transportation.

John F. Kennedy HS:
2 Hrs. Late.

Westside School:
9:30 A.M. Start. No AM extended care.

Seattle Public Schools:
2 Hours Late. Buses Operate on Snow Routes. No Door-to-Door Service. No Half-Day Kindergarten. No A. M. or P. M. Preschool. No A. M. or P. M. Head Start. No Activity Runs.

St. Francis of Assisi:
2 Hrs. Late. No AM Extended School Care

Hamlin Robinson School:
2 Hours Late Bus 2 Hours Late Check with school for after school activities

Also, the National Weather Service is still calling for a “Winter Storm Watch” starting late Tuesday night and extending through late Wed. night, with a prediction of up to 6 inches of snow.

Here’s their bulletin as of as of 3:51am Tuesday 12/16/08:

…Winter Storm Watch remains in effect for all of western Washington from late tonight through late Wednesday night…

Heavy snow is likely over western Washington on Wednesday. Three to six inches are possible in certain areas… including the east Puget Sound lowlands… parts of the northwest and southwest interiors mainly near the Cascades… and the inland parts of the Strait of Juan de Fuca area. Snow in these areas will begin in the north late Tuesday night and spread south Wednesday morning. By Wednesday night three to six inches of new snow are possible.

Other areas… including the Seattle metropolitan area and the Kitsap peninsula… could get less snow. Here models show one or two inches are possible. On the coast it is possible that conditions will be warm enough for rain part of the time… or mixed rain and snow. However it is not certain that sub-warning amounts will fall in these areas and the Winter Storm Watch extends to them as well.

The Cascades and Olympics will also receive heavy snow… with one or two feet of new snow likely from Wednesday through Wednesday night.

Snow levels will be at sea level through much of the event so virtually all of the precipitation will be in the form of snow.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…Monitor weather forecasts. If you have to travel… today is likely to be a much better day than Wednesday. Make sure your vehicle carries traction devices and extra blankets.

The National Weather Service issued the following Advisory Monday morning at 6:01am, with the biggest news being that Burien is now Brrrien, last night’s low ties the record (yay team! 20 degrees!), and there’s an 80% chance of snow on Wednesday:

… Snow expected in The Lowlands on Wednesday…
… Cold weather in store for the remainder of the week…

Snow is forecast for The Lowlands of western Washington Wednesday. A developing weather system along the northern British Columbia coast Tuesday will move south over western Washington on Wednesday. This system will draw moist air off the ocean which will override the cold air mass in place over western Washington producing snow. At this point… it is difficult to say how much snow this system will produce. Small changes in the track of the system can effect the amount of snow over the area greatly.

Cold Arctic air will remain over western Washington this week. Daytime highs will have a hard time getting above freezing and nighttime lows could drop into the single digits in some places. Record lows have already been set for today. Previous cold spells this time of year will make the record lows harder to break for the next couple of days.

Since 1990 the low temperature at Seattle-Tacoma Airport has dropped to 15 degrees or less only twice… January 30, 1996 and December 20,1998. Both days the low was 15 degrees. In December 1990 the low temperature at Seattle Tacoma Airport dropped to 15 degrees or less on 5 days.

The record for consecutive days with highs freezing or below at Seattle-Tacoma Airport is 10 set January 21-30, 1969. Here is a list of the top five streaks of high temperatures freezing or below at Seattle Tacoma Airport.

1. 10 days January 21-30, 1969
2. 9 days December 4-12, 1972
3. 7 days January 27 to February 2, 1950
4. 7 days January 12-18, 1950
5. 6 days December 19-24, 1990

In January 1950 the average daily high temperature for the month was 30.7 degrees. This is the only month in the official Seattle weather records that the average daily high temperature was below freezing.

If you have to drive today, be aware that back roads and side streets will be even slicker than yesterday, as what landed and melted has re-frozen even worse; here are a few webcams worth checking out (TIP: Refresh this page to get latest images):

We’ve been out running errands (as in: taking a kid to a birthday party), and we’re proud to say that we’re not stuck in a ditch.

Yet.

Here’s our first-hand bullet-point review from driving around Burien Sunday morning/afternoon, when we dared travel down to Tukwila and back:

• All back roads are slick and dangerous. Really.
• Bridges are even slicker and more dangerous since they’re colder.
• When driving on icy roads, keep it in low gear, and keep moving; once stopped on ice, you’re in deep doo-doo.
• If you do get stuck on ice and can’t move – as we saw a Ford truck do on First Ave South at SW 160th – DON’T JUST STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR! Put it in first gear and slowly try to move towards something that has some traction – snow near the side of the road, a sandy patch, whatever…but please folks NO FLOORING THE GAS ON ICE!
• All freeways are relatively dry but with some patches so don’t speed around (and you know who you are, tailgating Lady in the red SUV!).
• STOP TAILGATING, LADY IN THE RED SUV!
• You’re going to get sand and road salt all over your windshield today, so make sure your windshield washer thingy is full of freeze-proof washing liquid; otherwise you’re going to have to pull over and clean your windshield, and since it’s around 29 degrees outside, most gas station windshield washing devices are frozen in their water!

As we asked before, please either email your snow photos to us or add it to our Flickr Group so we can share them.

Here’s one from BTB Reader Grace Woods, entitled “A Three Tree Sunday Morning“:

“Venus de Burien” as photographed in January 2007 by Flickr Photog Crocidillicus.

Checking the roads and DOT webcams this morning shows that overall, most main Freeway roads are clear of snow and possibly passable – IF you have to get somewhere.

However, it looks like there’s plenty of black ice, so if you can, play it safe and stay home, make a snowman, and either email a photo to us or add it to our Flickr Group.

But, as usual, drive slowly, in low gears while on the slick stuff, and try to remember your Driver’s Ed lessons of how to steer into a slide when your car starts careening out of control.

Here are a few webcams worth checking out:

The Municipal League of King County will hold a forum this Tuesday, Dec. 2nd, to review the options for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the process that led to the current choices.

Panelists will include:

• Grace Crunican, Seattle Department of Transportation
• Patrick Gordon, Chair, Downtown Seattle Association
• Cary Moon, People’s Waterfront Coalition
• Dave Freiboth, King County Labor Council

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 2, 6-8 pm

WHERE: Seattle City Hall, 1F, Bertha Landes Room

Gov. Christine Gregoire, Mayor Greg Nickels and County Executive Ron Sims have set a goal of Dec. 31st to decide on a final plan. Meanwhile the official stakeholders’ group is settling on guidelines designed to narrow down the choices.

The Municipal League Foundation is the research and education arm of the Municipal League of King County. The Foundation’s mission is to conduct research and educate the public on matters of community interest and to encourage the development of civic participation and leadership in King County.

More information available at their website: http://www.munileague.org

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It plays a huge role as part of Burien’s “secret passageway” to downtown Seattle, and it often allows one to get into town within 15-20 minutes.

We’re speaking of course about the Alaskan Way Viaduct, which will be the topic of a public meeting on Monday, Dec. 15th, from 5pm to 7:30pm in downtown Seattle.

Everyone has an opinion on how best to deal this aging behemoth, and this meeting will be a good opportunity to not only learn about the final options for replacing the viaduct and seawall, it’ll give you a chance to speak your mind and propose your amazing ideas.

There will be a presentation, question and answer session, and opportunity for public comment on scenarios being considered. No word yet on what kind of donuts will be served.

According to a press release we received:

WSDOT, King County and the City of Seattle want to hear from you.

You can learn more about the options or provide comments at www.alaskanwayviaduct.org.

WHAT: Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall public meeting/discussion

WHEN: Dec. 15, 2008, 5pm-7:30pm

WHERE: Town Hall Great Hall, located at 1119 Eighth Avenue in downtown Seattle

INFO: 1-888-AWV-LINE or viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov

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Welcome our latest Advertiser to the B-Town Blog: Century Auto Rentals & Sales!

It’s A ‘Burien Family Affair’ at Century Auto Rentals & Sales
Century Auto Rentals and Sales (CARS) has been right on the same corner for 20 years. Well, almost on the corner – actually it’s behind the Shell station at First Avenue South and SW 156th in Burien. Century started 24 years ago in the lot of N&R Automotive.

Co-Managers Jennifer Boehm and Cindy Leeson tell BTB that “it’s a family thing, although we’re not all family.”

Century is owned by Noel Gibb, a former Burien mayor who’s been a local businessman for over 45 years.  He was co-founder of Merchants of Burien (MOB), now part of Discover Burien. All five of his kids have worked there at one time or another, and right now his granddaughter Mikayla is working on detailing cars.  Every so often you’ll find Noel’s wife Margie enjoying a hot lunch too with the staff (when she’s not volunteering at Discover Burien events).  Jennifer’s husband Dan is a Senior Tech at N&R.  To complete the family atmosphere is the fur family: Snicker’s the “ShihTzu, Peaches the “Shiffon”, Nikki the “Poodle” and Caro the big orange cat who was found under a customer’s car. They report to work everyday with their people.

Customers at Century Auto Rental are treated like family too.  Just think about your last car rental and compare it to service at Century. Were you escorted to your rental car?  Did someone stow your luggage? Did a manager sit down in the car and show you how to work all the gizmos and gadgets?  Well that’s exactly what they do at Century.  Further they’ll give you a map, show you the directions and set your car radio! They want to make people comfortable before they start driving. GPS instruments will be available in the spring of 2009.

Reservations are accepted over the phone at 206-246-5039, 1-888-288-6768 and online at www.centuryautorentals.com.

For air travelers, they provide shuttle service to and from SeaTac Airport (located just minutes from the airport) and will pick you up locally in the Burien area if you need it.

Car sizes come in economy, compact, midsize & full-size, and are available for a few hours or a few months.  Their prices are competitive with the majors, and the service is far superior.

Rentals are available to use in Washington State, Portland and Vancouver, B.C.

Once the cars are taken out of service they are sold at the Century Auto Rentals & Sales lot (that’s what the ’sales’ part of the name is all about).  They can sell your car for you too.

With a lifetime of service to the Burien community, Noel and Margie have bestowed their sense of community on all of the Century/N&R family – all of whom live in Burien.  As a matter of fact, Jennifer and Cindy told BTB that “everyone lives in Burien, works in Burien, shops, eats and breathes in Burien – we all love Burien”. Carrying that tradition forward, the families of Century Auto Rentals & Sales are generous when it comes to supporting community events and school.  It’s no wonder they were recognized by the Southwest King County Chamber as “Business of the Year” in 2002.

When asked what the co-managers wanted BTB readers to know about Century, we were told “When you’re having your car worked on at any garage in town and need a car for awhile, call us, we’ll be glad to pick you up and get you in a Century Auto Rental right away!”

For those readers who may be checking on B-Town from the friendly skies, know that they’ll pick you up at SeaTac and deliver you in minutes to your car at the corner of First Ave South and SW 156th in Burien.

So, click on their Ad in the lower right sidebar, check out their offerings, and remember that when you support a locally-run business, you’re also supporting your community!

Reba Gilman, Principal and CEO of Highline School District’s Aviation High School, will receive the Museum of Flight’s 2008 Pathfinder Award recognizing pioneering achievements in flying, engineering, education, operations, and manufacturing.

The award will be presented at the Museum’s William M. Allen Theater this Saturday, Oct. 25th. The evening’s program will start off with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Museum’s Great Gallery and a procession of past Pathfinder awardees at 6:15 p.m. followed by dinner and presentation of the 2008 Pathfinder Awards in the Side Gallery. Seating is limited and by reservation only. Individual tickets start at $100 per person, and table reservations start at $1,500 per table of 10. To purchase tickets or request an invitation, please call (206) 764-5709 or email sewing@museumofflight.org.

The Pathfinder Awards honor individuals or teams from the Pacific Northwest for significant contributions to aeronautics and astronautics. Previous recipients include William Boeing, Sr. and former astronaut (and current Museum of Flight CEO and President) Bonnie Dunbar.

Awardees are selected by representatives of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Air Force Association, Civil Air Patrol, Federal Aviation Administration, The Museum of Flight, Ninety-Nines, Navy League, OX-5 Aviation Pioneers, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Society of Experimental Test Engineers, University of Washington, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Gilman is the founding principal of Aviation High School, a small college-prep high school where teaching and learning is framed in the context of aviation and aerospace. The curriculum emphasizes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and aims to develop the talents of young people to take leadership roles in a technology-based society.

Aviation High was named a Model School this past year by the International Center for Excellence in Education, one of only 23 schools in the U.S. to be chosen. The school is administered by Highline Public Schools but is open to students from across the Puget Sound Region.

The award lauds Gilman as a “quintessential and entrepreneurial education leader” for conceiving the concept for Aviation High School and developing it into a school that is a national model for innovative education.

More info on Aviation High School can be found here; on the Museum of Flight here.

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