Letters to the editor

Land rushing by

Hopping the rails: Soon this will all fall to civilization

Editor, The Times:

Nowhere in your otherwise excellent "$169 million tag on airport, trail swap" [Times, Local News, Feb. 27] was it mentioned that the BNSF track will be cut at Wilburton by the widening of Interstate 405 in July of this year. It will be cheaper than rebuilding the tunnel/bridge combination by which these two routes have traversed each other for many years.

Thus, in six months, most of the discussions on this subject will become irrelevant because the rail route will no longer exist. BNSF seems not to be worried about this because freight traffic is light and the Dinner Train is already planning to move its operation elsewhere.

This will soon be followed by the demolition of the Wilburton Viaduct and the lifting of the rail track up and down the Eastside, which will then have no useful purpose.

Meanwhile, our rapid-transit planners are wondering how to get a light-rail route from Highway 99 up into Bellevue when we will have thrown away an immense asset that could be easily and cheaply upgraded to serve many local transport needs.

Once the rails are lifted, their replacement will be politically impossible and grossly more expensive.

— Ross Nicoll, Kirkland

Working on the real road

The existing BNSF track from Renton to Bellevue, Redmond and Woodinville could be used immediately to handle commuter traffic with the installation of a few passenger stations along the way. While it might not be a high-speed route for Sounder trains, it would offer a welcome alternative to the tie-ups on Interstate 405 for some Eastside commuters.

With all the construction required in the next few years to increase the capacities of I-5 and I-405, along with replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, it makes absolutely no sense to spend $66 million to remove the existing tracks and convert the right of way to bike-path use only.

The continuing growth on the east side of Lake Washington will some day demand a north-south light-rail line as much as one is now needed on the west side.

Let's not throw away the chance to use at least parts of this existing asset in a future high-speed light-rail system.

— Edward Wittmann, Seattle

Out the other window

As a bicycle rider, I am pleased that this region has made it easier for people to enjoy riding their bikes. However, as a businessman who drives the Interstate 405 corridor every day, I am stunned at the complete failure of Sound Transit to address the largest need for commuter rail in the region. Its own numbers show that 400,000 cars a day pass through the corridor in Bellevue.

Despite this, there is no plan on the table to deal with this transportation nightmare for at least a generation. This is irresponsible considering that we have a 42-mile corridor sitting at the ready, just begging for a near-term solution.

King County wants to swap an airport worth between a half and one billion dollars for this $103 million corridor. Truly responsible and visionary leaders would get full value for the swap and invest $200 million into putting 188-passenger, cost-efficient, clean and green, self-propelled commuter railcars to work on this corridor now, not decades down the road.

Build a bike trail as well, but don't mislead us into thinking we can "rail-bank" the corridor and use it later. That will never happen and everyone knows it.

With the proposed King County Events Center being right on this line, what better way to get people to and from events there than to be able to hop a train from almost anywhere in the region and be within walking distance of the facility.

The people need to demand that King County and Sound Transit step up and do the right thing.

— Steven Pyeatt, Kirkland

Hidden history

Slaves to ignorance

The news regarding the Rev. Al Sharpton and the late Sen. Strom Thurmond should not be at all shocking ["Sharpton, Thurmond tied through slavery," News, Feb. 26]. There is an entire history this country and the people in it have that the white community doesn't want to acknowledge, let alone discuss. Doris Strom Costner [Thurmond's distant cousin] makes this apparent when saying that her momma would only talk to her about good things.

African people were owned in this country and were forced to build it living as slaves, then sharecroppers; and there is a direct connection between the trade of "Black Skins" to the situation the masses of African people around the world live in today no matter if they are in Seattle, Oakland, New York, St. Petersburg, Atlanta, Rio De Janeiro, São Paulo, Paris, London and all throughout Africa itself.

The entire wealth of Europe, which includes the United States, came from the theft and enslavement of African people; it came from the theft of the land and genocidal slaughter of the indigenous populations in what we call the Americas, in Africa, the Pacific Islands, Australia and Asia, too.

This history is almost entirely written out of our history books.

— Peter Bishop, Kirkland

Rainier and foggier

Glum and summer

"This summer won't be the same at Rainier" [page one, March 1], about storm damage in Mount Rainier National Park and the ensuing disappointment to those who plan to visit the park, is a good reminder that Nature owns this planet and we are simply visitors. Our convenience and vacation plans are not of particular interest to Nature.

Folks who feel entitled to whatever they want, and sometimes throw tantrums to get it, might be shocked by such news. At least old King Canute recognized who was boss on this planet.

— Molly Larson Cook, Langley

Numb and dumber

Well, Friday morning and it was snowing, again. It sure has been fun watching the self-appointed weather talking heads desperately scrambling to catch up with Mother Nature all this week ["Blame wacky storm on convergence zone," Local News, March 2].

Not a one of them had a clue as to what was going on or what would happen next. They bluffed it out by reporting after the fact and pretending they knew in advance what would be hitting our windshields next.

Keep in mind that these are the same "geniuses" and "holders of scientific consensus" that claim to be able to predict what the weather will be like in 2050!

— Craig Sarver, Bonney Lake