The Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) Executive Board today unanimously adopted a draft transportation plan that would invest an additional $300 million in the SR 520 project. These funds would be in addition to $800 million of previously planned funding.

Councilmember Dow Constantine credited the City of Seattle’s new hybrid tunnel proposal with freeing up vital funds for the SR 520 project.

“The City of Seattle’s less expensive hybrid tunnel proposal allowed critical funds to be redirected to where they are needed most,” said Constantine. “These are projects that will help automobiles, freight, and transit move in and around Seattle during the time the viaduct is closed and in the future.”

The hybrid tunnel proposal will save approximately $1.2 billion over a full six lane tunnel. This savings allowed RTID to reprogram $800 million from the tunnel to other projects, including SR 520.

Councilmember Constantine and the City of Seattle worked together to come up with a package of alternate improvements that will increase mobility into and around Seattle.

The $800 million from Seattle now includes:

• $200 million towards the increased RTID contribution to replace SR 520;
• $130 million in improvements to the Spokane Street corridor;
• $70 million in improvements to the Lander Street corridor;
• $150 million in improvements to the Mercer Street corridor;
• $110 million towards replacing the South Park Bridge;
• $100 million to build a new direct transit connection from I-5 to the SODO transitway and the downtown transit tunnel;
• $40 million to complete the Bus Rapid Transit corridor on Aurora through Shoreline

Constantine serves on the RTID Executive Board. RTID was created by the Washington State Legislature and charged with developing a transportation package to be submitted to voters in the fall of 2007 for improving significant highways and bridges in Snohomish, King or Pierce Counties. RTID is coordinating its work with Sound Transit, which will submit a companion proposal to voters.

For more information on RTID, go to www.rtid.org

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