The light rail over the bridge case has been decided on the side of Duh, Of Course They Can.
Not surprisingly, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled against Kemper Freeman Jr.’s long and futile legal struggle to block the construction of light rail across the I-90 floating bridge. In a 7-2 opinion (pdf), with the Johnson brothers dissenting, the court ruled that Sound Transit’s fair market lease of the bridge’s center lanes, and its reimbursement of WSDOT’s contribution to their construction, means that no state gas tax dollars are being spent in violation of the state’s 18th Amendment.
Article II, Section 40 says that all vehicle fees and gas tax revenue must be “placed in a special fund to be used exclusively for highway purposes.” The purposes of this Motor Vehicle Fund (MVF) do not include building light rail. But, the court ruled, because “any money that was previously expended from the MVF will be reimbursed, the language of article II, section 40 is not violated.”
Of course. Of course, of course, of course. Of course! I’ll look forward to going into Bellevue and shopping at a non-Freeman area. I’m glad of the region getting the chance to be a bit more connected. People in Bellevue will be able to experience game day light rail, one great thing about city life. In many ways, the East Side will get a little closer to Seattle, and Seattle will be a bit closer to the East Side. I’m glad this hurdle was cleared, and, frankly that it wasn’t really that much of a hurdle.
In the linked article, Goldy also makes mention of another section of the ruling that this may be an even better ruling for proponents of transit than it appears now. And it appears pretty good now.
I’ve always been perplexed at Kember Freeman’s adamant objection to rail between Seattle and Bellevue, in any form. But I think you summarized his reasoning nicely:
Kember Freeman wants him and his developments reserved for the upper classes, and doesn’t want to rub shoulders with the “great unwashed”.
Wasn’t Freeman behind the decision to locate the Bellevue Transit Center over on 108th, safely separated from his hoity-toity mall? From all indications he’s just plain against transit, period. He wants everyone to drive to work and then bop over to Bellevue Square to suck up some lunch and buy a couple of $300 pairs of shoes. Apparently it hasn’t occurred to him that mid-day traffic in Bellevue, particularly near the Square, is so horrid that they’d get there faster crawling on their hands and knees.
Well Old Great Grandpappy Freeman was a confederate soldier, Grandpappy Freeman was an overt racist (founder of the Anti-Japanese league) and Pappy Freeman managed to seize up all the farmland that Grandpappy cleared of Japs to build the mall that Kemper now only wants wealthy suburbanites to enter.
“My people AREN’T mall people” Kemper Freeman, Jr. 4th Generation Washington Racist
I moved to Asia 3.5 years ago, and I’m still too close to the dreaded east side…
There are thing even rich guys can’t buy, and our state supreme court is one of them. Oh, they tried, but all they got for their money was Indian-hater Jim Johnson.
Good news. Also, it looks like a turnback track for East LINK will be needed at International District Station, potentially ending the use of buses in the tunnel.
I’ve always been perplexed at Kember Freeman’s adamant objection to rail between Seattle and Bellevue, in any form.
I believe it is very simple: Bell’ Square exists to sell overpriced knick-knacks that nobody needs. The private automobile is the fundamental enabling technology for hauling such stuff, because if you hand-carry it to, in, and from mass transit, your lower vertebrae will soon tell you how little you really need any of it.