As reported here, Seattle's business leaders turned up the heat on politicians Thursday to stop talking and get moving on the region's pressing transportation projects, including the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the Evergreen Point Bridge.
While the City Council jostles over how to replace the vital viaduct artery, and with new cost estimates topping $3 billion, business leaders attending the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting said they want tough decisions made. Now.
"The only way you can get the real numbers is to design the project," said Judy Runstad, co-chairwoman of the Governor's Global Competitiveness Council. "So how about stop talking about it, pick an alternative and design it. And then we'll know whether or not we can do this project."
The audience of more than 1,100 applauded. If I had been there, I would have applauded too.
Hopefully, Mrs. Runstad's words will carry some weight with the politicians, seeing as how she and her husband are part of one of the largest construction and development firms on the west coast (which just happens to do most of their business in King County, bringing in millions of dollar of revenue to the area through jobs and taxes), not to mention her co-chairmanship of one of the governor's councils, meaning that she more than likely is on a first name basis with the governor.
Thank you for speaking up, Mrs. Runstad. It's about time someone did!
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