Rasmussen Stands Up For Sidewalks
- Sept. 3, 2015
Councilmember Rasmussen at James St Clair Memorial Walk @WestSeattleBlog.com photo
September 3, 2015
Tom Rasmussen has chaired the Seattle City Council Transportation Committee for years. While Bertha, streetcars, unprecedented traffic congestion, and freight take a lot of his attention, the Councilmember has remained attentive to the needs of people who walk and bike.
Most recently, Rasmussen has weighed in on Sound Transit's construction closure of the 12th Ave NE Greenway. Construction closures are a hot item right now in Seattle. Here's what Councilmember Rasmussen had to say:
I have requested SDOT to continue to work to improve mobility and safety for everyone around construction zones. One of the first tours I organized for Mr. Kubly was of one epicenter of construction: the Pike/Pine neighborhood on Capitol Hill. We have had a number of updates and briefings from SDOT about their work to ensure compliance by contractors and progress is being made.
SDOT should not give permission to close a sidewalk or street or part of one until SDOT has approved the detour plans and routes. Even when a plan is approved some contractors or their workers will arbitrarily move barriers to the detriment of the public. This requires regular site visits by SDOT inspectors. One of the challenges is that there are not enough inspectors to keep up with the volume of construction. I have requested SDOT to hire more as soon as possible
Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen Chair, Transportation Committee Seattle City Council
Thank you for speaking up for people who walk and bike. We need strong support from our leaders all over Seattle!