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