All right, looks like we have quorum.
So good morning.
The May 21st, 2024 meeting of the Transportation Committee will come to order.
It is 9.35 a.m.
I am Rob Saka, chair of the Transportation Committee.
Will the committee clerk please call the roll?
Councilmember Kettle?
Here.
Vice Chair Hollingsworth?
Present.
Chair Saka?
Here.
There are three members present.
All right, and I note that council members Strauss and Wu are excused from today's meeting.
All right, colleagues, if there are no objections, the agenda will be adopted.
Hearing no objections, the agenda is adopted.
We'll now move on to the hybrid public comment period.
Public comment should relate to items on today's agenda and within the purview of this committee.
Clerk, how many speakers are signed up today?
Chair, currently we have two in-person speakers signed up and there are zero remote speakers.
Excellent.
Each speaker will have approximately two minutes.
We will start with the in-speakers because we only have in-speakers.
Clerk, can you please read the public comment instructions?
The public comment period will be moderated in the following manner.
The public comment period is up to 20 minutes.
Speakers will be called in the order in which they registered.
Speakers will alternate between sets of in-person and remote speakers until the public comment period is ended.
Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left of their time.
Speakers' mics will be muted if they do not end their comments within the allotted time to allow us to call in the next speaker.
The public comment period is now open and we will begin with the first speaker on the list.
Alex Zimmerman.
Ze Heil, my dirty damn Nazi fascist hundo, bandit and killer.
My name Alex Zimmerman, president of Stand Up America.
Is microphone working?
Good, super.
Transportation committee, you know what it means.
It's very important, it's one from critical point in every city.
I live in my life, it doesn't big city in my life.
For a year I live here, small Seattle, idiot city.
And I have couple idea what I bring you for 10 year.
Number one, red camera.
It's idiotic.
Suck from people hundred million dollars.
Hundred million and give to Arizona corporation.
Why you so stupid?
So give to Arizona corporation 50%.
Can explain to me from this hundred million dollars and how many trouble you give for people.
For this 135 bucks ticket, you know what this mean?
We can buy, how many gallon?
40 gallon on gas.
And I talk about this, it's not effective.
Number two, what is I want speak right now, for be effective for people will become and start believe who you are, because for last 15 year, I never see one honest man here, never.
So, open better room in city hall.
One day per week for three minutes so people can come and feel they can speak about everything.
People tired from your Nazi Gestapo principle, you know what it means?
You tied people free speech.
Look how many trespasses I have, only because I have different opinion.
This is exactly what I explained to you guys.
Six months, nothing changed.
Another six months, it will be identical like 15-year council before.
We need changes.
Stand up, America.
Stand up, freaking Seattle.
750,000, idiot.
Wake up, happy cow.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Next speaker is Steve Rubistello.
Good morning.
I came in on the bus this morning and transportation is what, with a wider sense, is what I'm primarily gonna speak about.
And I noticed it's down to two minutes.
I never had three minutes before, but the last meeting you offered three minutes, which was a unique experience.
But the transportation project for Aurora Avenue is I, is a boondoggle in my opinion.
It is a very low priority.
It never seems to want to die.
It seems to have very powerful friends who don't like to come out and be identified.
Aurora has been repaved recently.
So all we need is, of course, another repaving and upsetting, which is approximately a third of the commute, they used to say.
I live near Aurora, and when Aurora gets problems, Fremont becomes a parking lot.
So I would like to maintain the capacity which is on Aurora presently.
It is a state highway, and it appears there's a number of people who would like to turn it into a boulevard with just a couple of lanes, one going each way for general traffic.
But with the capacity that it takes, that is asking for a great deal of trouble to the rest of the North End.
And I think this project is always rated low.
And I think it should be dropped from the list because if you want to pass something, you don't put a Turkey on there.
And this one is a real Turkey.
I think in the North end, I could convince a lot of people that this is a dumb idea.
You know, it's sort of like buying the gun to your head.
Not very bright now.
On today's main event here, I hope you'll be looking at the insurance and the other obligations because quite frankly, when you're looking at overpasses, you need to see.
All right.
So there are no, thank you.
There are no additional registered speakers and we'll now proceed to our other items of business.
Chair, we have one remote speaker that just signed up.
Okay, so for remote public speakers, we have Camille Zaidi, and I'm gonna unmute you.
Nevermind the remote public speaker is not present.
That's it?
Okay.
So thank you to our public commenters.
I note that per our council rules, Public comments shall be no more than two minutes.
And so that is the rules that we operate under.
So, but thank you for providing your comments.
We will now move on to our first item of business.
Will the clerk please read item one into the record?
Item 1 is Council Bill 120768, an ordinance granting permission to the Board of Regents of the University of Washington to continue to operate and maintain an existing pedestrian skybridge over 12th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 43rd Street and Northeast 45th Street, repealing Section 7 of Ordinance 119532, and providing for acceptance of the permit and conditions.
And this is for briefing, discussion, and possible vote.
Thank you.
And it looks like our presenters have joined us at the table.
Welcome.
When you are ready, please share your presentations and introduce yourselves first.
Lischwitz and Council Central staff.
Amy Gray, Seattle Department of Transportation.
Bill Abord, Seattle Department of Transportation.
Welcome.
And what you have here today are two fairly routine approvals and renewals of sky bridges in the University District, owned by the University of Washington.
Okay.
So thank you for the opportunity to present today on these two council bills.
The presentation will cover both sky bridges that you'll be voting on separately.
Next slide, please.
One skybridge is located in the alley between 11th Avenue Northeast and 12th Avenue Northeast, north of Northeast 43rd Street.
This vehicular and pedestrian skybridge shown here connects two parking garages and was originally permitted in 1968. This skybridge is open to the public use between the two parking garages.
The second SkyBridge is located over 12th Avenue Northeast, north of Northeast 43rd Street, and is a pedestrian connection between the parking garages and the UW Tower.
It was originally permitted in 1969, and this SkyBridge is for private use of the UW staff and visitors to the UW Tower office building.
The original permit holder was the General Insurance Company of America, which became Safeco.
And in 2006, the UW purchased the properties and acquired the permits.
Estada is recommending council renew these two permits.
Next slide, please.
If these ordinances are passed, they would renew the permits and update the fees, maintenance obligations, insurance, indemnification, inspection requirements, and other conditions of the permit.
At the last council meeting, there was a question about indemnification, and section nine of both of these council bills describes in detail what is required for the UW to release, indemnify, and defend the city in the event that any injury claim is made as a result of either of these sky bridges.
And on the left, go back one, on the left is the image of the pedestrian skybridge.
Next slide.
This map shows the general location of the skybridges in the U District.
Next slide.
And we are recommending council approve these two bills for the UW to continue maintaining and operating the sky bridges.
And if the ordinances are passed, the permits would expire in 2039. And this shows exterior image of the sky bridge in the alley.
That's the vehicular and pedestrian.
And I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Thank you.
Colleagues, any questions, comments, feedback, concerns?
Chair Saka?
Yeah, go ahead.
Thank you, Chair Saka.
And I just wanted to thank you for your point regarding Section 9 and giving the public comment.
I think it's important.
And also to note, the next section specifically...
I took my glasses off, sorry.
is insurance and then the different pieces of insurance.
Is there anything additional on that area that needs to be spoken to in addition to what you said related to Section 9 release, hold harmless, indemnification, and duty to defend?
No, just the insurance language is provided by the city's risk manager in Department of Finance and Administrative Services.
I've been here a long time.
It's changed a few names, so I want to make sure I got it right.
And so they review that language for all the term permits and make sure it's adequate to protect the city and in the amounts that they determine that would protect the city.
And then, yeah.
Thank you, and thank you for your public comment on the same subject.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councilmember Kettle.
Indemnification obligations, really important.
They provide for risk allocation between the parties.
So thank you for expanding upon that.
Any other questions, comments, feedbacks, colleagues?
All right.
All right.
Hearing none, I move that the committee recommend passage of Council Bill 120768. Is there a second?
Second.
All right.
It has been moved and seconded to recommend passage of this bill.
Are there any further comments?
Hearing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the recommendation that the bill pass?
Vice Chair Hollingsworth.
Yes.
Council Member Kittle.
Aye.
Chair Saka.
Aye.
Three votes in favor of passage.
All right.
The motion carries and the committee recommendation that the bill pass will be sent to the May 28th City Council meeting.
We will now move on to...
Our second item of business.
Clerk, will you please read it into the record?
Just for purposes of reading into the record, I think the presenters covered it.
Agenda item two, council bill 120769, an ordinance granting the Board of Regents of the University of Washington permission to continue maintaining and operating an existing vehicular and pedestrian sky bridge over and across the alley between 11th Avenue Northeast and 12th Avenue Northeast, north of Northeast 43rd Street, repealing section seven of ordinance 119161, and providing for the acceptance of the permit and conditions for briefing, discussion, and possible vote.
Thank you, Clerk.
And I will give the presenters opportunity to expound upon anything if you'd like.
I don't have anything else to add.
Okay.
Yeah.
All right.
Now, colleagues, does anyone have any questions, comments, feedback?
Go ahead, Council Member Kettle.
Chair Saka, thank you.
I just wanted to take the opportunity here.
This is kind of unique in a sense of the broader relationship, and I will put a plug in that generally with SkyBridges, for those with medical purposes, are generally the ones I look to favor in terms of voting in favor.
But I recognize the importance of this, and it's a continuation.
But I also wanted to make a point, because I think we have representation in the audience that, you know, that the new council is having a new relationship with the University of Washington, and we really look forward to working with the university in a whole host of issues that are out there, and to bring you in as part of the discussion, because I think that's very important.
I think that's something under the old council that may not have been where it should have been, let's just say.
And so we look forward to having a productive relationship with the university.
I say this as a graduate of the Evans School, but also as the D7 representative, the District 7 representative, as most people probably don't realize, the University of Washington has a lot of land holdings in the city, the downtown, which is very important on a whole host of subjects.
And so we need to have a construction, constructive positive relationship between the council and the University of Washington.
And I look forward to having that as we move forward over the next course of this term, basically.
So thank you for coming.
Thank you, Council Member Kettle.
I also am excited to partner with the University of Washington and our other government partners and higher ed partners in important work, including the quote unquote fairly routine matters.
It matters as Lish pointed out, like SkyBridge and permit renewals, but this is important stuff.
So thank you, Council Member Kettle, Vice Chair Hollingsworth, anything else to add from your perspective?
I have nothing.
I'm a graduate of University of Washington for grad school, School of Education.
So I love the University of Washington.
Hey, since we're, you know, showing our, in this case, our Husky colors, I'll add that, you know, I'm a proud grad, undergrad of the University of Washington, Law, Societies and Justice and Political Science, double major.
Why not?
All right, cool.
Well, shoulda, woulda, coulda.
Looks like you did.
All right.
Now.
Keeping this moving, I move that the committee recommend passage of Council Bill 120769. Is there a second?
Second.
All right.
It has been moved and seconded to recommend passage of the bill.
Are there any further comments?
Go Huskies.
Go Dawgs.
All right, hearing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the recommendation that the bill pass?
Vice Chair Hollingsworth?
Yes.
Council Member Kettle.
Aye.
Chair Saka.
Aye.
Chair, that was three votes in favor.
All right, the motion carries and the committee recommendation that the bill pass will be sent to the May 28th city council meeting.
And go dogs.
I represent Cougs too.
So they just don't typically have business that comes before this committee that I'm aware of at least today.
All right, cool.
That's good to know.
We have reached the end of today's meeting agenda.
Is there any further business to come before the committee before we adjourn?
All right, hearing none.
I wanna remind everyone that the June 4th and June 18th and the July 2nd Transportation Committees have been canceled in order to allow us colleagues to focus on the billion dollar plus levy review that we have going on right now in parallel.
That is the most important urgent item.
We will temporarily suspend consideration of other sort of generally routine Transportation Committee matters so we can focus on what matters most right now, getting this right.
So, Hearing no further, so we won't pick up again our regular Transportation Committee meetings until after our process has concluded, which will free up time, space, and energy for everyone, staff members included, which we appreciate you all.
Hearing no further business to come before the committee, we are adjourned.
It is 9.54 a.m.
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