>> HELLO EVERYBODY PICK WELCOME
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR
CONVERSATION TODAY.
I AM TAMMY MORALES, SEATTLE
CITY COUNCILMEMBER AND THIS IS
THE THIRD IN A SPEAKER SERIES I
AM CALLING INSIDE SEATTLE
WITHIN REACH.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?
WE ALL HAVE IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WE
THINK OF VIBRANT HEALTHY SEATTLE
. WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT, I
THINK ABOUT GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS
WITH ALL THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES
AND AMENITIES WE NEED OR USE IN
DAILY LIFE, AND TO HAVE ALL OF
THOSE WITHIN RANGE.
SO I THINK WE OFTEN THINK
ABOUT, AS THE CITY GROWS HOW WE
ARE GOING TO PRODUCE HOUSING
UNITS, FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK WE SHOULD STOP TALKING
ABOUT PRODUCTION OF HOUSING
UNITS AND START TALKING INSTEAD
ABOUT HOW WE CREATE GREAT
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR PEOPLE.
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HOUSING
THAT THE AVERAGE WORKER CAN
AFFORD THAT HAS LOCALLY OWNED
BUSINESSES AND HEALTHCARE AND
CHILDCARE, MAYBE EVEN A CREDIT
UNION.
SO THIS SPEAKER SERIES IS ABOUT
HOW WE DO THAT.
HOW DO WE INTENTIONALLY CREATE
WELL RESOURCED NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT ARE CONNECTED TO ONE
ANOTHER AND THAT OFFER THE
KINDS OF SERVICES THAT PEOPLE
NEED IT WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE
TO THEM.
THROUGH THIS SERIES WE WILL BE
FOCUSING ON PARTICULAR TOPICS
THAT CAN HELP GET US TO A
SEATTLE WITH HER AND REACH.
SO IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU
WOULD LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT OR A
TOPIC YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR
ABOUT, DROP US A LINE AND WE
WILL TRY TO INCORPORATE THAT.
WE HAVE ONE OR TWO A MONTH AND
WE WILL BE DOING THAT
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THIS MONTH, MAY IS NATIONAL
MOBILITY AWARENESS MONTH. IT IS
ALSO NATIONAL BIKE MONTH. SO WE
THOUGHT WE WOULD ASK FOLKS TO
JOIN US IN A CONVERSATION ABOUT
WHAT THAT MEANS.
WITH OVER 18 MILLION PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND CANADA
WHO ARE LIVING WITH MOBILITY
ISSUES, I THOUGHT WE WOULD TAKE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE A
LIGHT ON WHAT SOME SOLUTIONS
ARE I HELP PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES THAT CAN HELP
EDUCATE OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT
MOBILITY SOLUTIONS AND
ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE BUILD
A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IN
SEATTLE THAT ENSURES THAT OUR
NEIGHBORS HAVE ACCESS TO
ESSENTIAL GOODS AND SERVICES
WITHIN REACH.
SO I WANT TO SAY BEFORE WE
BEGIN, I WANT TO NOTE THAT WE
HAD PLANNED TO HAVE A SPEAKER,
SHANNON WHO IS A COMMUNITY
ACTIVIST HERE IN THE SOUTH END,
WE WERE PLANNING TO HAVE
SHANNON JOIN US.
SHE IS WITH GREENWAYS.
SHE WAS CALLED AWAY TO
FACILITATE A HEALING CIRCLE FOR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE WAKE
OF THE MASS SHOOTING IN BUFFALO
TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT,
AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
DEVASTATING SHOOTING OF
SCHOOLCHILDREN THAT HAPPENED IN
TEXAS THIS WEEK.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
TODAY, AS WE ARE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY, THAT WE ALSO
REMEMBER THE UNBELIEVABLY EASY
ACCESS TO GUNS IN THIS COUNTRY
AND THAT SHOULD BE TREATED AS A
PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS.
>> SO THANKS FOR INDULGING ME
AS I TAKE A MOMENT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO BE
SPEAKING WITH THREE PEOPLE.
ANNA ZIVARTS IS A LOW-VISION
MOM AND DRIVER WHO WAS BORN
WITH A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION
MY STACK THIS.
>> YOU GOT IT.>> SINS LAUNCHING
THE MOBILITY INITIATIVE AT
DISABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON IN
2020, ANNA ZIVARTS HAS WORKED
TO BRING THE FORCES OF
NONDRIVERS TO THE POLICYMAKING
TABLES IN THE AREA.
THROUGH HER ORGANIZATION, ANNA
HAS BUILT A NONDRIVERS STORY MAP
AND HAS COMPILED THOSE STORIES
INTO A RESEARCH PAPER, WHICH
SHE IS PRESENTING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND HAS ALSO LAUNCHED A
WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING, WHICH IS
A CHALLENGE TO ELECTED LEADERS
LIKE MYSELF. I DID IT LAST YEAR
AND LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT
AGAIN SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT
IT IS LIKE TO GET AROUND THE
CITY WITHOUT DRIVING.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COUNSELOR CHRISTINE BOYLE IS A
FIRST-TIME CITY COUNSELOR WITH
THE CITY OF VANCOUVER.
SHE'S AN ORGANIZER, CLAIMANT
JUSTICE ACTIVIST AND ORDAINED
UNITED CHURCH MINISTER.
AND HER FIRST TERM, SHE HAS LED
VANCOUVER'S WORK ON ADDRESSING
THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY WITH A
STRONG EQUITY LENS AND HAS ALSO
DONE NATIONAL CLIMATE JUSTICE
ORGANIZING AMONG DIVERSE FAITH
COMMUNITIES INCLUDING COP 21
AND AT THE VATICAN, AND WITH
FAITH AND COMMON GOOD.
WELCOME FROM ALL THE WAY UP IN
VANCOUVER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
CLARA CANTOR IS JOINING US.
SHE'S A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
WITH SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD
GREENWAYS . SHE ADVOCATES FOR
SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR
PEOPLE WALKING, ROLLING,
BIKING, AND ACCESSING TRANSIT.
SHE BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, THE
IMPORTANCE OF CENTERING THOSE
FURTHEST FROM JUSTICE AND
TRANSPORTATION, AND BEFRIENDING
NEIGHBORS AND BRINGING PEOPLE
TOGETHER.
SHE'S AN ARTIST AND MAKER,
COMMUNITY BUILDER, LIFELONG
BIKE COMMUTER AND SHE LIVES IN
DISTRICT 2 WITH HER WIFE AND KID
. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
THIS MORNING.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR
CONVERSATION.>> SO AT ITS CORE,
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
MOBILITY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
ACCESSIBILITY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ABILITY
OF PEOPLE TO USE THEIR
COMMUNITIES STREETS, THEIR
SIDEWALKS AS A WAY TO GET
AROUND, NAVIGATE THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR CITY,
REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY GET
THERE, HOW THEY DO THAT.
I HAVE TO SAY HERE IN SEATTLE
THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GREAT
RECORD OF PRIORITIZING OR
CONSIDERING PEOPLE WHO DON'T
DRIVE.
I THINK SIMILAR TO MANY NORTH
AMERICAN CITIES, PROBABLY NO
MORE AMERICAN CITIES, THEY
REALLY ARE FOCUSED AND BILLED
FOR PEOPLE IN CARS.
I WANT TO START WITH YOU AND
MAYBE ASK YOU A FUNDAMENTAL
QUESTION, WHICH IS WHO DO YOU
THINK IS LOSING OUT IF WE DON'T
RESHAPE OUR CITIES, IF WE DON'T
RESHAPE OUR ROADS TO ADDRESS
THE NEEDS AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE
WHO CHOOSE NOT TO DRIVE OR
CANNOT DRIVE?
>> I MEAN EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T
DRIVE IS LOSING OUT.
THAT IS A BIG DEMOGRAPHIC
QUESTION.
IT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
LOWEST INCOME FOLKS, FOLKS WHO
DON'T HAVE A CAR BECAUSE THEY
ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD ONE OR
UNABLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO STORE
IT, FOLKS WHO ARE UNABLE TO
DRIVE FOR MOBILITY REASONS,
VISION LIKE ANNA OR ANY OTHER
REASON.
I MEAN, I LIKE TO GET AROUND
AND A LOT OF THE OTHER FOLKS I
KNOW THAT BIKE TO GET AROUND TO
IT BECAUSE IT IS THE CHEAPEST
WAY WE KNOW HOW TO GET AROUND.
PARTICULARLY THE TRANSIT PASSES
ARE EXPENSIVE, AND IF YOU ARE
NOT DRIVING, BIKING AND WALKING
IS LITERALLY THE CHEAPEST
OPTION THAT YOU HAVE. WHEN WE
ARE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
DISTRICT TO, ONE THING TO NOTE
IS THAT A LOT OF SOTO IN THE
AREAS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE
ZONED INDUSTRIAL FOR FREIGHT
HAVE A LOT OF SHIFT WORKERS AND
FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING NOT 95
HOURS WERE TRANSIT IS REALLY
INACCESSIBLE OR TAKES A LONG
TIME OR DOESN'T SERVE THOSE
HOURS WELL.
SO A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE
WALKING AND BIKING AS WELL.
>> YEAH.
THE EXPENSE IS CERTAINLY A HUGE
CHALLENGE. IF WE ARE GOING TO
MAKE THE KINDS OF INVESTMENTS
THAT CAN SERVE EVERYBODY BUT WE
HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT NOT
JUST THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT
HOW WE DO OUR TRANSIT PASSES
DIFFERENTLY, HOW WE PROVIDE
MORE AFFORDABLE WAYS FOR PEOPLE
TO GET AROUND WHO ARE GOING TO
ACCESS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
HERE.
SO THANKS FOR THAT.
COUNSELOR BOYLE, CANADIAN CITIES
LIKE VANCOUVER AND MONTRCAL ARE
EMERGING AS LEADERS AND WHAT WE
MIGHT CALL AN EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION OF ROAD SPACE IN
NORTH AMERICA, BUT CAN YOU TALK
ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK MIGHT HAVE
CAUSED THAT SHIFT AND HOW ARE
THESE CITIES THAT ARE REALLY
MOVING TOWARDS PROVIDING ACCESS
TO PEOPLE WHO BIKE OR IMPROVING
PEDESTRIAN STRUCTURE OR YOU
KNOW, BUS LANES, HOW ARE THOSE
CITIES ADDRESSING THE KIND OF
OPPOSITION THAT COMES UP WHEN
PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR SPACE TO
BE ALLOCATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY?
>> IT IS SUCH AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY ALSO
BECAUSE IT IS PART OF HOW I
OPERATE, I AM NOT JOINING YOU
FROM SEATTLE, UNFORTUNATELY,
BUT I'M JOINING YOU FROM THE
UNSEEDED TERRITORIES OF THE
NATIONS IN VANCOUVER AND IT
WARMS MY HEART TO HEAR YOU SAY
WE ARE LEAVING ON THIS BECAUSE
HERE EVERYTHING STILL REQUIRES
A FIGHT AND IT FEELS TO ME AND
VANCOUVER LIKE WE ARE NOT DOING
ENOUGH AND IT TAKES A LOT OF
EFFORT STILL TO REALLOCATE ROAD
SPACE.
I MOSTLY GET AROUND BY BIKE AS
WELL, SO TO MY KIDS, AND IT
CERTAINLY STILL DOESN'T FEEL
SAFE.
I HEAR FROM MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S
MOTORIZED SCOOTER AND THERE ARE
LOTS OF PLACES WHERE IT IS STILL
NOT VERY SAFE FOR HER TO GET
AROUND.
I JUST LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AND
THINK IF WE WERE DESIGNING OUR
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN A WAY
THAT MADE THE BEST USE OF
PUBLIC FUNDS AND THAT MINIMIZED
ACCIDENTS IN DEPTH, IT WOULD
LOOK NOTHING LIKE THE WAY THAT
EITHER OF OUR CITIES ARE
CURRENTLY PLANNED, SO WE ARE
CLEARLY NOT RIGHT NOW MAKING
TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS BASED
ON EITHER OF THOSE METRICS, AND
TO CLEAR HIS POINTS ABOUT WHO
IS BEING LEFT OUT, LIKE THAT IS
WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO.
I DO THINK IN VANCOUVER, WITH
HUGE CREDIT TO LOCAL ADVOCACY
GROUPS HERE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO GET SOME WINS.
WE HAVE CERTAINLY SHIFTED MORE
ROAD SPACE TO MORE CURB CUT,
YOU KNOW, SAFER CROSSINGS AND
BIKE ROUTES. I THINK THAT
COMMUNITY ADVOCACY IS IMPORTANT
AND I SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHO
HAS BEEN ON THAT AND AM NOW IN
OFFICE WE NEED COMMUNITIES
HELPING CONNECT THESE DOTS
BETWEEN ROAD SAFETY AND
ACCESSIBILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
, CONNECTING WITH SCHOOLS AND
PARENTS AND BRINGING FOLKS
TOGETHER TO ADVOCATE ON THESE
CHANGES BECAUSE THE OPPOSITION
IS ALWAYS LOUD, AND I THINK THE
MORE THAT WE CAN -- I'M SO
EXCITED FOR THIS REASON, THE
MORE WE CAN CONNECT THESE
ISSUES TO HEALTH, TO SAFETY, TO
ACCESSIBILITY, THE MORE PEOPLE
SEE THEMSELVES AS PART OF
BENEFITING FROM THESE CHANGES
RATHER THAN JUST SEEING THE
LOSS OF ROAD SPACE WITH THE
KIND OF FEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT
WILL MEAN.
THAT IS WHERE I THINK WE HAVE
SUCCESS IN VANCOUVER.
TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE SUCCESS
AND STILL WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE
TO DO HERE AS WELL.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE
ADVOCACY PIECE? I WAS
MENTIONING TO ALL OF YOU
EARLIER THIS MORNING, LAST WEEK
MY STAFF AND I WENT TO RAYNOR
BEACH AND HIGH SCHOOL AND MET
WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE ROAD
THERE SCHOOL IS ON, AND THERE
ARE VERY INTERESTED IN
ADVOCATING.
THEY WANT TO COME TO CITY HALL,
THEY WANT TO IDENTIFY MAYBE SOME
TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES THAT
THEY COULD ADVOCATE FOR. SO I
AM INTERESTED IF YOU HAVE
EXPERIENCE WITH STUDENTS
ADVOCATING FOR THINGS AND WHAT
KIND OF THINGS THEY MIGHT BE
ABLE TO DO GIVEN THEY ARE
ACTUALLY IN SCHOOL DURING
OFFICE HOURS SO THAT THEY CAN
BE ENERGIZED BY THIS IDEA OF
TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO
SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY?
>> I LOVED THAT KIND OF WORK.
SO I HAVE WORKED WITH BOTH
STUDENTS AND OFTEN WITH PARENT
ADVISORY COMMITTEES ON WHAT WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS
FAVORITES, MAPPING OUT HOW THE
SCHOOL POPULATION IS GETTING
THERE AND WHAT IMPROVEMENTS
THEY SEE THEY NEED, AND OFTEN
WORKING WITH THOSE PARENT
GROUPS OR ADVISING THEM AROUND
MAKING HER TIES LIST AND THEN
WORKING WITH CITY STAFF IN OUR
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE START TO MAKE
THOSE THINGS POSSIBLE BECAUSE
FOR A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS, THERE
IS A RANGE THAT GOES FROM A
SIGNALIZED CROSSING HERE OR
REDUCING SPEED LIMITS IN HERE
IN VANCOUVER, WE HAVE TO WORK
WITH THE PROVINCE AROUND
CHANGES LIKE THAT, SO IT IS A
SPECTRUM AND THERE ARE THINGS
WE CAN QUICKLY DO AND THERE'S
LONGER-TERM ISSUES AND THERE IS
WORK WE NEED TO WORK WITH
SENIOR GOVERNMENTS ON.
MY ORGANIZING HAT IS OFTEN
HELPING PARENTS AND SCHOOL STAFF
TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE
BARRIERS ARE AND DO THAT LOCAL
GROUNDWORK TO AND VISION WHAT
IT COULD AND SHOULD LOOK LIKE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THEM
AS THE EXPERTS.
THEY ARE THE ONES GETTING TO
SCHOOL EVERYDAY, AND YOU KNOW,
INCLUDING, I WAS MEETING WITH A
GROUP OF PARENTS RECENTLY WHO
WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE
GRANDPARENTS IN THE AREA WHO
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DROP-OFF
AND PICKUP.
IT IS NOT JUST SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL FOR THOSE KIDS, BUT ALSO
FOR THE SENIORSWHO ARE HELPING
WITH CHILDCARE AND THEIR
MOBILITY NEEDS HAVE A LOT OF
OVERLAP, BUT A FEW DIFFERENCES
FROM THE KIDS, AND REALLY THE
WHOLE PICTURE THERE.
WITH THOSE KIDS AND PARENTS
BEING THE BEST LOCAL EXPERTS
AND THEN I SEE MY ROLE AS
HELPING AMPLIFY THEIR ADVOCACY
AND CONNECT THEM WITH THE
TOOLS, THE DECISION-MAKING
MOMENTS AROUND CAPITAL BUDGETS
OR WHATEVER ELSE TO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE.
>> THEY WERE VERY SURPRISED
WHEN I SHOWED THEM THE BUDGET
AND HOW RESOURCES CAN ALLOCATE
IT CLEAR AND ANNA, DO YOU WANT
TO CHIME IN ON ANY OF THAT?
>> THIS IS ON A. MY KID JUST
FINISHED A SEASON OF TRACK AT
RAINIER BEACH AND HE'S STILL
LITTL, BUT THEY PRACTICE
THERE, SO WE SPENT A LOT OF
EVENINGS COMING IN AND OUT AND
WALKING TO THE BUS STOP.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE
TALKING ABOUT IN SOME WAYS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED
WHEN WE WERE DOING THAT IS THAT
TRACK FIELD, MAYBE THIS ISN'T
THE CASE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY,
BUT IN THE EVENINGS, ALL THE
GATES ARE LOCKED, SO THE ONLY
WAY IN AND OUT IS TO WALK UP
AND DOWN THE PARKING LOT AND IT
MADE ME THINK ABOUT WHO WAS
MAKING THAT DECISION BECAUSE AS
A LITTLE KID, IT FELT LIKE NOT
A VERY COMFORTABLE SPACE, AND I
IMAGINE THERE ARE CONFLICTS
WITH STUDENTS AS WELL COMING IN
AND OUT AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU
HAD THOSE OTHER GATES OPEN, IT
WOULD BE EASIER TO GET TO THE
TRANSIT STOPS MORE DIRECTLY.
BUT WE ALWAYS CENTER THE DRIVER
IN THESE SITUATIONS AND WE ARE
NOT THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE TRYING TO ACCESS SPACES
IN THE CITY NOT IN A CAR WORK>>
YEAH.
AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT,
KIDS AND ELDERS ARE A HUGE HUGE
PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
NOT IN CARS.
THERE TRYING TO GET AROUND OUR
CITY OUTSIDE OF CARS, AND LIKE
AN ASIDE, THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS
ARE NOT OFTEN THE ONES THAT ARE
MAKING THE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW
WE ARE PLAYING OUR CITY OUT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT A
TRIP THAT THE THREE OF US TOOK.
I JOINED YOU ALL RECENTLY WITH
A GROUP OF OTHER PARENTS ON
YOUR COMMUTE TO CHILDCARE AND
ANNA, I KNOW YOU HAVE A FAMILY
BIKE.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW HAVING
MET A TOOL LIKE THAT AS A
PARENT AND AS A PERSON WITH LOW
VISION HAS CHANGED YOUR ABILITY
TO NAVIGATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND MAYBE WHAT A TYPICAL DAY
WAS LIKE BEFORE YOU GOT THAT?>>
YEAH.
SO I AM LOW VISION, BUT I HAVE
BIKED MY WHOLE LIFE FOR
TRANSPORTATION, AND I LOVE
BIKING.
I ALSO LOVE HAVING RESILIENCY
OF LIVING IN A CITY WHERE THE
BIKE IS NOT MY ONLY OPTION.
IF IT IS RAINY OR ICY OR I
DON'T FEEL GREAT OR WHATEVER, I
HOP ON THE BUS OR THE TRAIN AND
I FEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO
LIVE IN A CITY, YEAH, WITH
THOSE OPTIONS AND LIVE IN A
PART OF THE CITY THAT HAS THOSE
OPTIONS AND THAT IS ONE THING
WE DON'T ALWAYS TALK ABOUT.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS
SOME DAYS THE BIKE IS NOT GOING
TO BE THE BEST OPTION, SO TO
HAVE THE OPTION OF TRANSIT IS
REALLY NICE AND THEN SOMETIMES
TRANSIT IS NOT AN OPTION.
A TRAIN BREAKS DOWN.
IT'S GREAT TO TAKE THE BUS OR
IF THE BUSES STUCK IN TRAFFIC,
YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE OPTIONS
AND RESILIENCY, REALLY I THINK
IS KEY.
FOR ME BEING IN A HILLY CITY
LIKE SEATTLE AND HAVING A KID,
HAVING THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE
TO AFFORD AN E BIKE WAS
INCREDIBLE, AND ESPECIALLY
GETTING UP AND DOWN THESE STEEP
HILLS AND THEN OFTEN BEFORE I
HAD THE E BIKE, I WOULD CHOOSE
THE ROUTES THAT WERE THE
FLATTEST BECAUSE I COULDN'T
IMAGINE GETTING MYSELF UP A
HILL AND THOSE ROUTES IN
SEATTLE TEND TO BE THE ROUTES
WITH FASTER TRAFFIC, MORE
TRAFFIC, MORE DANGEROUS TO BE
WALKING OR ROLLING ALONG, SO
YEAH.
I FEEL LIKE THE E BIKE HAS
GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PICK SOME VERY STEEP ROUTES
THAT I AVOID A LOT OF THAT
CONFLICT ON.
THAT IS A REAL PRIVILEGE TO BE
ABLE TO AFFORD AN E BIKE AND
HAVE A PLACE TO STORE IT.
I AM LUCKY I HAVE A PLACE I CAN
ROLL IT IN, BUT THERE'S NO WAY
I COULD CARRY IT UP AND DOWN
STAIRS.
YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE
-- THAT IS NOT AN OPTION
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SECURELY
STORE THEM OUTSIDE.
YOU KNOW.
ON THE STREET.>> YEAH.
THERE IS AN ISSUE OF THOSE THAT
ARE LEFT OUTSIDE GETTING STOLEN
AS WELL.
CLARA, HOW ABOUT YOU, HOW IS
YOUR DAILY COMMUTE?
>> VERY SIMILARLY. I WAS
CHUCKLING AS SHE IS TALKING
ABOUT THE E BIKE BECAUSE I AM
STILL PEDAL POWERED.
MY KID IS GETTING BIGGER AND
HEAVIER.
I RUN INTO A LOT OF THOSE
CHALLENGES HUFFING AND PUFFING
UP AND DOWN HILLS TRYING TO GET
AROUND BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO
BIKE ON RAINIER AVENUE, WHICH
IS THE FLAT DIRECT ROUTE I
COULD BE TAKING TO AVOID ALL
THE HILLS.>> WHICH DOES NOT
HAVE A BIKE LANE AND IS THE
MOST DANGEROUS STREET IN THE
CITY.
>> YEAH.
>> I THINK THE POINT YOU MADE
ABOUT THE REDUNDANCY BEING SO
IMPORTANT, RIGHT, LIKE YOU
KNOW, WE DO NEED ALL OF THESE.
THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF PICK
SOMETHING FROM THE MENU, THE
REDUNDANCY OF OPTIONS IS A
FEATURE. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE TRANSIT AND BUSES AND
PROTECTIVE BIKE LANES AND
SIDEWALKS THAT ARE NOT HUMBLING
IN ORDER TO CREATE THE LAYERS
OF PROTECTION.
>> YES.
>> YEAH.
YOU MENTIONED YOU ALSO RIDE
YOUR BIKE.
YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THE
FAMILY BIKE CONVERSATION?
>> JUST THAT WE ALSO GOT AN E
BIKE, A CARGO BIKE JUST BEFORE
THE PANDEMIC.
IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO CONVINCE
MY PARTNER THAT THIS WAS
WORTHWHILE AND IT ENDED UP
BEING AMAZING TIMING TO THE
EXTENT THAT WE GO ANYWHERE, WE
TAKE IT EVERYWHERE.
ACTUALLY, IT TIMED OUT WELL FOR
US.
I HAVE A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AND A
TEENAGE STEPDAUGHTER AND SHE
DIDN'T HAVE HER LICENSE YET AND
FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE
PANDEMIC WOULD PUT ANOTHER
TEENAGER ON THE BACK, WHICH WAS
SLIGHTLY OVER THE RECOMMENDED
WEIGHT LIMIT AND THEY WOULD
CRUISE ALL OVER, AND TO SEE THE
FREEDOM THAT THEY HAD ON THIS
VEHICLE TO GO WHERE THEY WANTED
TO IN THE CITY WAS A REALLY
INCREDIBLE REMINDER OF WHAT
THAT PROVIDES FOR PEOPLE, AND I
WAS JUST TAKING NOTES ABOUT THE
CONVERSATION, YOUR COMMENT ABOUT
REDUNDANCY AS A FUTURE, NOT A
BUG ALSO RESONATES SO STRONGLY
FOR ME THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED
LOTS OF CHOICES SO THAT PEOPLE
CAN BE MAKING THE CHOICE THAT
MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THEM
EVERY DAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANNA,
WHICH I'M SURE IS SOMETHING YOU
HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT MORE THAN
ME, BUT I THINK ABOUT HOW
PEOPLE THINK OF BIKES AND E
BIKES IS A PRIVILEGE, BUT
SOMEHOW CARS AS NOT, THAT EVEN
THOUGH OWNING A CAR IS MUCH
MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT TO THE
STORAGE QUESTION, CERTAINLY WE
MAKE IT A LOT EASIER TO STORE
CARS THEN WE DO BIKES.
SO I ALWAYS WRESTLE WITH HOW WE
FRAME THOSE CHOICES IN TERMS OF
WHAT IS A PRIVILEGE AND A
LUXURY AND WHAT IS A REGULAR
PEOPLE THING. I'M JUST
INTERESTED TO LEARN FROM YOU ON
HOW WE TALK ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK THAT IS SO KEY.
YEAH, AND RECOGNIZING THAT PARKS
, BIKES ARE MORE AFFORDABLE, I
THINK IN NEW YORK CITY, THE
ORGANIZING WORK HAPPENING, THAT
IS A REAL MODEL AND LIKE THE
WORK WE DO IS TRYING TO CREATE
SPACE AND GIVE PEOPLE WHO DON'T
NORMALLY FEEL LIKE THEIR VOICES
COUNT IN THESE PROCESSES AROUND
TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS AND
FUNDING AND ALL THAT, FINDING
THOSE PEOPLE AND IT TAKES A LOT
MORE WORK TO GO OUT AND TRY TO
CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
CONNECTED INTO THESE ADVOCACY
SYSTEMS ALREADY, BUT I THINK
THAT IS KEY BECAUSE YOU KNOW,
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
THE LEAST CHOICES WE NEED TO
HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR
THEM.
>> I WENT TO BE CLEAR.
WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT
BIKE LANES OR PEOPLE WHO BIKE.
I WAS LAST WEEK WITH MY STAFF,
WE WENT TO, THERE IS AN
ORGANIZATION IN MY DISTRICT
CALLED LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE
BLIND.
THEY PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
AND SOME TRAINING FOR FOLKS WHO
ARE BLIND, AND WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TRANSIT AND
TRANSIT ACCESS, AND EVEN JUST
SAY SIDEWALKS, THESE ARE SOME
OF THE CHALLENGES THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT.
SO ARE THE TACTILE CROSSWALKS
IN GOOD ORDER TWO CONSUMMATE
USING A CANE ACTUALLY DETERMINE
WHERE THOSE BOUNDARIES ARE AND
WHAT THE RIGHT DIRECTION IS TO
GO?
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION
HAPPENING IN THE AREA AROUND
THEIR FACILITY, SO THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
NOT BLOCKING THE CROSSWALK, NOT
BLOCKING THE SIDEWALKS WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE
MAKING SURE THE FENCING THAT IS
KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE
CONSTRUCTION PIT HAS NOT FALLEN
OVER.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER WAYS
WE NEED TO ALSO THINK ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS FOR PEOPLE WHO
MIGHT HAVE AN IMPAIRMENT OR
SOME OTHER ISSUE TO GET AROUND
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFELY AND
CERTAINLY LOTS OF WORK FOR US
TO DO IN THAT REGARD.
CLARA, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
THIS QUESTION OF HOW WE CAN DO
BETTER AS THE CITY.
IN SEATTLE WE HAVE ABOUT 3500
MILES OF ROADWAY. SOMETHING
LIKE 25% OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVE
ON A STREET THAT DOES NOT HAVE
A SIDEWALK, PARTICULARLY IN THE
NORTH END OF SEATTLE IN THE
SOUTH END OF SEATTLE AND WE
KNOW THAT LESS THAN 1% OF ROAD
SPACE MOSTLY DOWNTOWN AND NEAR
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON,
LESS THAN 1% HAS SAFE BICYCLE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN
ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WITH
DIFFERENT ABILITIES AND AGES, SO
DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT
THE CITY CAN DO TO BETTER
ACCOMMODATE AND ENCOURAGE A
SAFE MIX FOR FOLKS WHO ARE
WALKING OR ROLLING AND EVEN
TRANSIT USE SO THAT WE CAN
FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE
EVERYBODY'S NEEDS?
>> YES I DO.
LOTS OF THOUGHTS.
I THINK FIRST WE NEED TO
PRIORITIZE THE MOST VULNERABLE
USERS ON OUR STREET, AND THEN
SECOND WE NEED TO INVEST MONEY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, LIKE A
LOT OF PARTS OF THE 2 THAT HAVE
BEEN SKIPPED OVER AND DON'T
HAVE A LOT OF GREAT
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE
PRIORITIZING 54 PEOPLE WHO ARE
WALKING AND BIKING, LIKE WE
WERE TALKING JUST BEFORE WE
JUMPED ON THIS PANEL, WE HAVE A
MAJOR CRISIS RIGHT NOW.
THERE WERE FOUR PEDESTRIANS HIT
BY CARS YESTERDAY, INCLUDING A
10-YEAR-OLD.
CITYWIDE, OVER HALF OF THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE KILLED ON OUR
STREETS ARE HAPPENING HERE
DISTRICT 2. THAT IS WHAT WE
SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON. THERE'S
A REASON FOR THAT AND IT IS
BECAUSE THE STREETS DOWN HERE,
A LOT OF THEM ARE DANGEROUS.
WHEN THE CITY IS PUTTING IN
STREET 50 PROJECTS ALL THE TIME
AND INVESTING PUBLIC DOLLARS
INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES, WE NEED
TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN HERE.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN IN
THE SOUTH END AND IT IS NOT IN
THE SAME WAY IT IS IN A LOT OF
THE REST OF THE CITY.
AND WHETHER THAT IS NEW LIGHTS
OR NEW BIKE ROUTES OR YOU KNOW,
MAINTENANCE LIKE FIXING OUR
CRUMBLING SIDEWALKS SO PEOPLE
CAN GET AROUND, IT SHOULDN'T
TAKE YEARS OF COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY AND TIME AND ENERGY TO
GET A SAFE SPOT FOR OUR KIDS TO
CROSS THE STREET TO GET TO THE
FRONT DOOR OF THEIR SCHOOL, YOU
KNOW?
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE
HAPPENING, THAT SHOULD BE THERE
ALREADY.
>> YEAH.
SO WE HAVE A VISION ZERO PLAN.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A PEDESTRIAN
MASTER PLAN. WHAT DO YOU THINK
IS THE ISSUE HERE WITH WHY
THESE THINGS ARE NOT GETTING
BUILT? ANNA, DO YOU WANT TO
RESPOND?
>> I THINK ALMOST LIKE I WANT
TO TAKE IT BIGGER.
YOU KNOW.
IT IS NOT JUST WE NEED THESE
FOR STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU LOOK AT WHERE THEY ARE,
THAT IS A BIG PART OF IT.
I THINK IT'S ALSO THINKING ABOUT
COMMUNITIES LIKE THE SOUTH END.
THERE WAS THIS STRUCTURE CREATED
TO HELP OTHERS PASS THROUGH,
LIKE WHAT WE SEE WITH FREEWAYS
AND BEHIND ME IS AN ON-RAMP.
HERE, YOU KNOW, IT IS UNDOING
THAT IDEA THAT THESE ARE
COMMUNITIES THAT NEED TO BE
PASSED THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF
WHOEVER IS TRYING TO PASS
THROUGH THEM AND WHAT WOULD IT
MEAN TO RETHINK THAT AND BE LIKE
THE PRIORITY IS THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE TRYING TO CROSS, NOT THE
PEOPLE MOVING UP AND DOWN AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE OR YOU
KNOW, WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO
RETHINK THIS BIG INTERCHANGE SO
THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THE
TRANSIT STOPS, THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS THERE.
>> SO I WANT TO MOVE TO TALK
ABOUT THIS ISSUE MORE BROADLY,
AS HE SAID.
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
MOBILITY, WHAT WE ARE REALLY
TRYING TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW WE
BUILD HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS AND
YOU ARE RIGHT, THAT IS HARD
WHEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY OUR
CITIES HAVE BEEN PLANNED IN A
PARTICULAR WAY FOR DECADES, AND
THAT IS BUILT AROUND PEOPLE'S
ABILITY TO DRIVE, IT HAS SHAPED
OUR CITIES, IT HAS SHAPED WHERE
ROADS GO, WHERE SIDEWALKS GO AND
THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN AN
EQUITABLE WAY, AS HE SAID IN
THE SOUTH END, THE TWO MAJOR
MATERIALS WERE HIGHWAYS AND NOW
TRYING TO USE THEM -- DENSE
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PROBLEMATIC.
WE KNOW IN NORTH AMERICA LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR ARE JUST KIND OF
EXPECTED TO LIVE WITHOUT
SIDEWALKS WITH POOR ACCESS TO
TRANSIT, YOU KNOW WITH VIRTUALLY
NO SAFE BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE,
JUST LITTLE INVESTMENT, AND
THAT IS THE HISTORY OF
REDLINING AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHILE OTHER PARTS OF TOWN GET
SIDEWALK CAFCS AND GOOD TRANSIT
AND SEPARATED PATHS, THAT IS
THE REALITY.
I THINK WHAT I GET NERVOUS
ABOUT IS THAT WHEN WE DO START
TO TRY INVESTING IN THESE
HISTORICALLY UNDER RESOURCED
NEIGHBORHOODS, IT OFTEN LEADS
TO GENTRIFICATION, AND WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE ARE GOING
TO MITIGATE THAT SO THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE THERE GET TO BENEFIT
FROM THOSE INVESTMENTS RATHER
THAN GETTING PUSHED OUT.
I THINK WHAT MAKES ME NERVOUS
IS THAT THAN THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE THERE THEMSELVES START TO
FEAR THESE INVESTMENTS AND
START TO FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW,
LIKE WE ARE INTENTIONALLY
TRYING TO PUSH FOLKS OUT.
SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS TO
ANYBODY.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHETHER YOU
THINK THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN
PROVIDING SAFE INFRASTRUCTURE,
PROVIDING INVESTMENT THAT CAN
MAKE THE COMMUNITY MORE SECURE,
BETTER POLITY TRANSIT, AND THAT
ISSUE OF GENTRIFICATION.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY IT IS A
CHALLENGE IN VANCOUVER AS WELL,
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE
PLACES IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT
WE CONNECT THESE KINDS OF
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS WITH
STRONGER PROTECTIONS, FOR
EXAMPLE AND MORE PARTICIPATORY
ENGAGEMENTS SO THAT COMMUNITIES
ARE SINGING HERE IS WHAT WE SEE
WOULD BENEFIT US IN THE WAYS
THAT WE ARE LIVING WITH OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW.
SO THOSE PIECES, THE LAND-USE
PIECE AND THE EQUITY AND
JUSTICE PIECE HAVE TO BE PART
OF THE TRANSPORTATION
CONVERSATION SO THAT IT IS NOT
A TUCKED DOWN VISION OF HOW
PEOPLE WILL GET THROUGH
NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT REALLY ABOUT
HOW PEOPLE WILL LIVE IN THEM,
AND THEN I THINK THE CHALLENGE
OF COURSE FOR ALL OF US IS HOW
THAT ISLANDS OF HOW FOLKS
CURRENTLY LIVING IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD GET AROUND AND HOW
WE WELCOME MORE PEOPLE INTO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT DISPLACING
PEOPLE AND HELPING THOSE FOLKS
GET AROUND, AND I REALLY THINK
YOU KNOW, THE NERVOUSNESS THAT
COMMUNITIES FEEL IS JUSTIFIED
BECAUSE HISTORICALLY WE HAVE
SEEN A LOT OF DISPLACEMENT, SO
WE HAVE TO COME INTO THESE
CONVERSATIONS ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT HISTORY, AND DOING BETTER
THAN HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST
IN TERMS OF CONNECTING THESE
ISSUES.
>> I SAY WE DO ORGANIZING
THROUGH LOTS OF COMMUNITIES AND
TO BE HONEST MOST OF THE PEOPLE
WE WORK WITH CAN'T AFFORD TO
LIVE IN SEATTLE ALREADY BECAUSE
IT IS SO PENSIVE AND WHILE THE
FOLKS WE WORK WITH ARE ALL
TRANSIT DEPENDENT, AND I HATE
THAT PHRASE AS WELL, BUT YOU
KNOW, THE DREAM IS TO LIVE
SOMEWHERE NEAR BUSES WITH
SIDEWALKS AND YET THAT IS NOT
AFFORDABLE FOR MOST FOLKS. SO I
THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE A MASSIVE
INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS AND
TRANSIT EVERYWHERE PRIORITIZING
SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME LIKE
THIS LUXURY THAT YOU CAN ONLY
HAVE IF YOU ARE WEALTHY, THE
ACCESS TO THOSE THINGS, THAT IT
IS JUST LIKE YOU HAVE
ELECTRICITY, IT IS CONSIDERED
PART OF WHAT WE AS A SOCIETY
PROVIDE THROUGHOUT OUR STATE,
STARTING WITH PLACES WHERE THERE
ARE A LOT OF TRANSIT DEPENDENT
FOLKS.
>> THAT IS MY GOAL CERTAINLY IS
TO MAKE SURE THE SOUTH END CAN
BENEFIT FROM THE KIND OF
INFRASTRUCTURE WE ARE SEEING AT
GREEN LAKE, YOU KNOW, STREET
UPGRADES, SIDEWALK UPGRADES.
WITHOUT STOKING THAT FEAR OF
DISPLACEMENT THAT IS JUSTIFIED
BECAUSE IS HOW IT HAS WORKED IN
THE PAST, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
IT HAS TO ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY.
SO THAT IS THE QUESTION, HOW DO
WE MAKE SURE WE ARE PUTTING
SOME MITIGATION MEASURES IN
PLACE SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T GET
PUSHED OUT.
CLARA, DID YOU WANT TO CHIME
IN?>> DEFINITELY.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU KNOW,
WHATEVER WE ARE INVESTING IN,
WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THINKING
ABOUT THIS, AND ANY OF THESE
BIG INVESTMENTS HAVE TO BE
COUPLED WITH MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AT ALL LEVELS, AND
PROGRAMS TO HELP PEOPLE STAY IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES IF THEY WANT
TO DO THAT.
I WANT TO SAY LIKE AS MUCH AS
THIS IS A THING, LIKE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR DESERVE
NICE THINGS AND THINGS LIKE
PARKS AND LIKE LIENS AND YOU
KNOW, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN
STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT
PROJECTS LIKE THIS DON'T CAUSE
DISPLACEMENT, BUT THAT FEAR THE
PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT
HIGH RISK OF DISPLACEMENT, WHEN
YOU HEAR OF THE CITY
IMPROVEMENT COMING TO YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD AND LIKE OKAY, LIKE
WE HAVE TO BE REALLY REALLY
INTENTIONAL WHEN WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, BUILDING
THESE PROJECTS ABOUT WHO THIS
IS FOR, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHO WE
ARE BUILDING NEWS 4, AND ABOUT
WHOSE NEEDS THESE PRODUCTS ARE
SERVING AND THAT GOES BACK TO
WHAT ANNA WAS SAYING EARLIER,
LIKE IS THIS PROJECT SERVING
THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD OR IS IT SERVING
PEOPLE PASSING THROUGH?
YOU KNOW.
THAT APPLIES TO LIKE, EVERY
ASPECT OF HOW WE ARE
PRIORITIZING DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY ELEMENTS
WE ARE PUTTING INTO PROJECTS
LIKE THIS AND THE DESTINATIONS
WE ARE CHOOSING TO CONNECT TO
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE
MAJOR CROSSWALK IMPROVEMENTS
AND SIGNALS IN CERTAIN AREAS
AND NOT OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THAT
IS SHOWING WHO WE ARE
PRIORITIZING ACCESS TO.>> RIGHT
RIGHT.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING
WE TOUCHED ON EARLIER, WHICH
WAS THIS ISSUE OF YOU KNOW, IS
IT A PRIVILEGE OR A NECESSITY
TO HAVE A BIKE OR A CAR? AAA
ESTIMATES THE AVERAGE COST OF
OWNING A CAR IS ABOUT $9000 A
YEAR.
SO ANNA, I KNOW THESE
ELECTRONIC FAMILY BIKES ARE NOT
CHEAP, CERTAINLY.
IT IS A BIG OUT LEG ONE TIME,
BUT IT IS CHEAPER ON A YEAR-TO-
YEAR BASIS FOR HOW WE HAVE
SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO
MINOTAUR COMPARED TO HAVING A
CAR AND HAVING TO PAY FOR
INSURANCE AND GAS AND GAS
PRICES RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW ACCORDING TO THE
SEATTLE TIMES, SEATTLE HAS MORE
CARS PER CAPITA THAN LOS
ANGELES, WHICH I FIND SHOCKING.
MAYBE I SHOULDN'T, BUT THAT
SEEMS OUTRAGEOUS TO ME. SO I'M
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF WE HAVE
THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE
SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY TO
MAINTAIN A CAR, THAT SEEMS TO
ME LIKE IT IS KEEPING PEOPLE IN
DEBT.
IF WE AREN'T CREATING THE
ALTERNATIVES THAT CAN HELP THEM
MOVE OUT OF THAT CAR.
SO YOU KNOW, I USED TO DO FOOD
SYSTEMS WORK AND WE ARE ALWAYS
TALKING ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO
STOP BLAMING NEIGHBORHOODS,
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE'S
ONLY FAST FOOD BUT NO GROCERY
STORE, YOU KNOW, STOP LEAVING
THEM FOR BEING OVERWEIGHT.
WE MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICE THE
EASY CHOICE IF WE HAVE MORE
FRESH FRUIT, MORE GROCERY
STORES THAT HAVE HIGH QUALITY
FOOD, THEN WE HAVE STARTED TO
SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS THE SAME
THING HERE. YOU KNOW, IF WE
WANT PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF THEIR
CARS, WE HAVE TO CREATE THE
ALTERNATIVES FOR THEM TO DO
THAT EASILY.
SO I GUESS PART OF WHAT I WOULD
LOVE SOMEBODY TO ANSWER IS YOU
KNOW, HOW OUR HISTORY OF
REDLINING OUR RACIST ZONING LAWS
KIND OF CONTRIBTE TO THE
CHALLENGE PEOPLE HAVE OF
GETTING FROM POINT A TO POINT B.
AND THEN BEYOND THE DESIGN, YOU
KNOW, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO
MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MORE
ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE SO WE CAN
GIVE PEOPLE THEIR $9000 A CAR
EXPENSE BACK AND PEOPLE CAN GET
MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME.
I DON'T THINK I ASKED ANYONE IN
PARTICULAR.
>> I JUMP IN ON THE LAND USE
ASPECT.
I MEAN, I THINK ZONING IS A HUGE
FACTOR IN HOW EASY IT IS TO GET
AROUND AND WE TALKED ABOUT
REDLINING AS LIKE THIS BYGONE
HISTORICAL THING, BUT THAT IS
STILL CONTINUING.
IT IS JUST USING DIFFERENT
WORDS.
THE WAY THAT WE LOAN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS PLACED DIRECTLY
INTO WHO WE ARE PRIORITIZING
WHEN WE ARE BUILDING STREETS.
IT DEPENDS ENTIRELY UPON THE
LABEL WE HAVE ON THAT LAND.
WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT
SOTO AND SOTO IS ENTIRELY ZONED
INDUSTRIAL.
EVERY SINGLE STREET IS BILLED
FOR FREE, AND THERE IS A TON OF
PEOPLE WALKING AND BIKING
AROUND IN SOTO.
BUT BECAUSE IT IS ZONED
INDUSTRIAL, THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
UNHEALTHILY WAS SOMEONE KILLED
A WEEK OR TWO AGO.
WHEN YOU GO SOUTH TO GEORGETOWN
, YOU SEE MORE IMPACTS OF THAT.
YOU SEE IT IN NOISE POLLUTION,
AND AIR POLLUTION AND WATER
POLLUTION.
BIG DANGEROUS STREETS, TO JUST
EXIST IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS,
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR
IT, AND IT DESTROYED COMMUNITY
HEALTH.
ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE IS A LONG
MLK WAY AND RAINIER VALLEY WHERE
YOU KNOW, THE LIGHT RAIL
CONSTRUCTION THROUGH HERE,
HAVING THE TRAIN AT SURFACE
LEVEL MEANS THAT EVERY YEAR WE
HAVE TRAINED KILLING PEOPLE IN
OUR COMMUNITY AND THE TRAIN IS
ALSO THE LENGTH BETWEEN THE
STOPS IS REALLY REALLY LONG AND
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, FOR A LOT
OF PEOPLE THE TRAIN IS SERVING
AS THIS THING THAT IS
CONNECTING PEOPLE THROUGH OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD RATHER THAN TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT IS NOT
REALLY SERVING THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE LIVING HERE AND TRYING TO
GET TO DESTINATIONS.
YOU DON'T SEE THAT IN ANY OTHER
PART OF THE TRAIN LINE.
SO AS WE ARE INVESTING MONEY,
PUBLIC MONEY INTO EXPANDING THE
SYSTEM, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT
PUTTING MONEY INTO MAKING THIS
SECTIONS A AND MAKING MLK WAY
SAVER FOR THE COMMUNITY LIVING
HERE AND THE COMMUNITY LIVING
THESE STREETS.
I MEAN YOU KNOW, BUT EIGHT
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE
LAST TWO YEARS ON MLK.
IT IS DANGEROUS.
>> YEAH. THAT MADE ME THINK
ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS, LIKE
THOSE EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS
INTO SOTO AND GEORGETOWN, THE
TRANSIT ROUTES ARE ALMOST
NONEXISTENT.
VIKING, UNLESS YOU HAVE AND
ELI, IT IS A WICKED HILL AND A
LOT OF WHAT I THINK ABOUT, WHEN
I THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD MAKE
SEATTLE AN EASIER PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO CHOOSE NOT TO DRIVE I
THINK ABOUT MY STREET AND THE
PEOPLE I KNOW MY NEIGHBORS. YOU
KNOW.
THE CHOICES THEY MAKE AND ONE
OF A NEIGHBORS IS A HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT, LIKE THERE IS NO GOOD
WAY TO GET FROM WHERE WE ARE TO
THE HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE IT
WOULD BE MULTIPLE BUSES EVEN
THOUGH IT IS LESS THAN A MILE.
HIS BIKE KEPT GETTING STOLEN,
SO HE DOESN'T HAVE A BIKE I
THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE ON MY
BLOCK AND WHAT WOULD CHANGE
PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE
TO DRIVE AND I DON'T HAVE EASY
ANSWERS, BUT I THINK PART OF IT
IS THINKING ABOUT OKAY, THERE
NEEDS TO BE THINGS, LIKE THERE
IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL TO HAVE
THIS SORT OF THINGS SO PEOPLE
DON'T NEED TO DRIVE AS FAR, BUT
BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
ARE DRIVING, THERE'S NOT THE
MARKET FOR THOSE THINGS TO
EXIST.
I THINK ABOUT EVERYONE GOING TO
COSCO, WHICH MEANS PEOPLE WHO
DON'T HAVE CARS AND CAN'T GET
TO COSCO FOR THE SHOPS ARE
SHOPPING LOCALLY AT STORES THAT
HAVE FEWER CHOICES BECAUSE YOU
KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS ARE
GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE SO WHAT
WOULD IT TAKE TO START TO
CHANGE THAT?
I DON'T TOTALLY KNOW, BUT I
THINK A LOT ABOUT MY INDIVIDUAL
STREET AND HOW MUCH I WOULD
LOVE IT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET
OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND GO
STRAIGHT INTO THEIR CAR AND IF
WE WERE ACTUALLY INTERACTING
WITH EACH OTHER MORE IN THE
SHARED SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THAT WOULD HELP A LOT
WITH COMMUNITY BUILDING AND
MENTAL HEALTH.
THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT
IS A CHOICE.>> THAT IS THE
ISSUE FOR ME. THAT IS PART OF
THE POINT OF THIS SERIES OF
SEATTLE WITHIN REACH IS HOW DO
WE START TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT
TAKES TO MOVE IN THAT
DIRECTION.
WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE NEXT
TWO YEARS AND HOPEFULLY MAKING
SOME DIFFERENT AND BETTER
CHOICES ABOUT WHAT ZONING AND
LAND USE LOOKS LIKE.
WE SPOKE YESTERDAY ABOUT THE
VERY NARROW WAYS PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT SEEMS LIKE OUR COMMUNITIES
HAVE SIMILAR CHALLENGES AROUND
HOW WE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY,
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, ACCESS TO
GREEN SPACE IS ALSO BEING
ELEMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO
COMMUNITY SAFETY.
I THINK IT IS GETTING BACK TO
THIS ISSUE OF BUILDING HEALTHY
NEIGHBORHOODS.
HOW DO WE INTENTIONALLY CREATE
ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT
YOU MEAN BY THAT AND HOW IS
VANCOUVER THINKING ABOUT WHAT
IT MEANS TO BUILD HEALTHY
NEIGHBORHOODS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
LIKE IN SEATTLE AND MANY OTHER
LARGE CITIES, WE ARE TALKING A
LOT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY THESE
DAYS AROUND POLICING AND AROUND
THE WAY THE PANDEMIC MADE MORE
VISIBLE A LOT OF STRUGGLE THAT
HAS EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME, AND
THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE DURING
THE PANDEMIC.
AND OFTEN IN VANCOUVER, THAT
CONVERSATION IS NARROW. WE DON'T
TEND TO TALK ABOUT ROAD SAFETY
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY, OTHER
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES WHEN WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY, BUT IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT, I THINK.
IN THAT HEAT DOME WE ALL LIVED
THROUGH LAST JUNE IN VANCOUVER,
100 PEOPLE DIED IN A TWO DAY
PERIOD BECAUSE OF THE HEAT DOME.
WE HAD ACROSS BC HIGHER
FATALITIES THAN THE U.S. FOR A
NUMBER OF REASONS.
THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS WHO
DIED DURING THOSE TWO DAYS WHERE
SENIORS. THEY WERE PEOPLE WITH
OTHER HEALTH ON OUR ABILITIES,
THEY WERE LIVING ALONE IN OLDER
APARTMENTS. THAT IS A HUGE
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE WE TEND TO
NOT TALK ABOUT IN THE TYPE OF
PUBLIC SAFETY CONVERSATION THAT
WE ARE HAVING IN VANCOUVER.
I MEAN, SIMILARLY WE HAVE A
HIGH NUMBER OF TRAFFIC INJURIES
AND FATALITIES STILL AND AGAIN,
THOSE TEND TO BE MORE VULNERABLE
STREET USERS. SO I DO THINK WE
NEED TO BROADEN THAT
CONVERSATION TO BE LOOKING AT
WHAT ARE THE SAFETY ISSUES WE
ARE FACING AND THEN WE DON'T
EVEN HAVE CLEAR NUMBERS IN
TERMS OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
AIR QUALITY AND EXHAUST, LIKE
IT IS STILL THE CASE IN
VANCOUVER AND I CERTAINLY HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON SHIFTING THIS,
BUT IT IS STILL THE CASE THAT
IN MOST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
PLANNING, WE PUT OUR NEXT
INCOME OR LOWER INCOME
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ON MAJOR
ARTERIALS AND WE HAVE SOME
OLDER PLANNING DOCUMENTS THAT
EXPLICITLY NAME THAT WE ARE
BUILDING APARTMENTS TO ACT AS A
SHIELD OR A BUFFER FOR NOISE
AND CAR POLLUTION FROM THE REST
OF THE RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS.
I DON'T NEED TO SAY TO YOU ALL,
THAT IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO THINK
ABOUT RENTERS AND RENTAL
HOUSING, AND IT HAS BEEN A BIG
PART OF THE APPROACH WE HAVE
TAKEN AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
I MEAN, THERE IS SO MUCH THERE
TO SAY, BUT I THINK THIS IS WHY
IT IS SO VALUABLE TO BE TALKING
ABOUT LAND-USE AND HOUSING
ALONGSIDE TRANSPORTATION.
AND HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
I MEAN, THEY ARE ALSO DEEPLY
INTERTWINED.
>> THEY ARE ALL CONNECTED.
WE HAVE SIMILAR DOCUMENTS HERE.
YOU KNOW.
WE CALL THEM URBAN VILLAGES
HERE IN OUR LAND-USE CODE, AND
IT IS JUST THAT.
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS CALLED DIFFERENT THINGS,
BUT IT IS PUTTING MULTIFAMILY
HOUSING ALONG THE ARTERIALS AND
I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT MAKES
SENSE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE
FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE
SERVICES, BUT WHEN IT IS NOW
BEING USED AS A REASON NOT TO
ALLOW THAT KIND OF HOUSING,
WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED IN
SEATTLE, USING THAT AS AN
EXCUSE NOT TO BUILD MULTIFAMILY
HOUSING ANYWHERE ELSE, LIKE WE
ARE DONE.
THE CAPACITY IS CLOSE TO BEING
REACHED FOR THAT KIND OF
DEVELOPMENT.
WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT
ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN A MORE
EQUITABLE WAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED
TO CHIME IN ON ANY OF THAT.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN THE PART ABOUT ARTERIALS
AND HOUSING, YOU KNOW, I FEEL
LIKE WE CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY
BECAUSE THERE IS HOUSING THERE
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING TO BE LIVING IN THE
HOUSING, AND WHAT WOULD IT TAKE
TO ACTUALLY NOT HAVE THEM BE
FULL OF HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC AND
NOISE CAN WE THINK ABOUT I
CAN'T EVEN SAY THAT WORD.
HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO DRIVE
LESS?
I THINK I KNOW IT IS NOT A SAFE
POLITICAL THING TO SAY, BUT
PEOPLE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT
EVERY TIME THEY GET IN A CAR,
EVEN IF IT IS AN ELECTRIC
VEHICLE, THE RISKS THAT THEY
ARE EXTERNALIZING ON OTHER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THOSE ARE
SIGNIFICANT, AND YOU KNOW, WE
NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THOSE
COSTS BEING BORNE BY THE PEOPLE
WITH THE GREATEST HEALTH RISKS
AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS EVERY
TIME ANYONE IN OUR CITY DRIVES
ANYWHERE.
>> YEAH.
YEAH.
THOSE THINGS ARE ALL CONNECT AND
YOU ARE RIGHT.
WE DO HAVE -- URBAN VILLAGES
HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR 10 OR 20
YEARS, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT
LONGER NOW, SO WE HAVE
DEVELOPMENT ALREADY THERE AND
AT LEAST IN THE SOUTH END, THAT
MEANS WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT ON
WHAT USED TO BE THOSE FORMER
HIGHWAYS THAT ARE NOW A LIGHT
RAIL CORRIDOR AND A STREET THAT
IS STILL ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS STREETS IN THE CITY
BECAUSE OF THE VOLUME OF CARS
THAT GO DOWN THOSE ROADS.
SO HOW WE BUILD WHAT WE NEED TO
BUILD, WHETHER IT IS MORE
FREQUENT TRANSIT SERVICE FROM
THE METRO OR BY CLAIMS OR OTHER
WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND,
UNTIL WE PROVIDE THOSE
ALTERNATIVES, WE WILL CONTINUE
TO HAVE WHAT IS IN MY MIND TOO
MANY CARS GOING DOWN THE
STREETS.
WE NEED TO START BUILDING UP ON
AS WE START TO FIGURE OUT HOW
WE REDUCE THE OTHER.>> CAN I
JUMP INTO SAY THAT IS SUCH A
GOOD POINT TO BE NAMING THAT WE
BOTH NEED TO BE ADDING MORE
HOUSING OFF ARTERIALS AND
WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS SO FOLKS
OF ALL INCOME LEVELS CAN BE
LIVING OFF ARTERIALS AND I
DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE WORD
WOULD BE, BUT I LOVE IT
ALREADY, DART REALIZING.
FLOWING DOWN THOSE MAIN STREETS
. BOTH OF THOSE AT THE SAME
TIME.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE ADVOCATES
REMINDING OUR COUNSEL THAT
BECAUSE BIKE LANES CAN BE SEEN
AS A DUDE IN LYCRA ISSUE, WHICH
WE KNOW THEY AREN'T, BUT THEY
GET FRAMED AND THAT, THAT THEY
ARE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS FOR ALL
USERS BECAUSE PARTICULARLY
BASED ON DESIGN, IT CREATES A
SPACE FOR PEDESTRIANS. ATTENDS
TO SLOW TRAFFIC SO IT MAKES THE
ROADS SAFER FOR PEOPLE WALKING
AND ROLLING AND NOT JUST BY
COMMUTERS ZIPPING BY.
SO THOSE KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS
ALONG THOSE ARTERIALS WHERE
PEOPLE ALREADY LIVE AS WELL AS
ADDING MUCH MORE MIXED INCOME
HOUSING OF THE ARTERIALS.
>> THAT IS WHAT WE ARE AIMING
FOR., HAD.
>> THINKING ABOUT THIS QUESTION
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, SO I
LOVE WHERE THIS CONVERSATION
HAS GONE, BUT YOU KNOW, I
WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO POINT OUT THAT AS WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF
A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE CAN BRING A
BACKGROUND TO THE DISPLACEMENT
CONVERSATION AND LIKE I JUST
WANTED TO SAY THAT HISTORICALLY
AND CULTURALLY A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE
REALLY ENGAGED WITH PUBLIC
SPACES IN A WAY THAT IS
DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY THAT A
LOT OF OUR CITIES HAVE BEEN
BUILT AND THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO SUSTAIN IN ADDITION
TO THE ACTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THE BIKE LANES AND WHATNOT. OUR
CITY HAS DONE A BAD JOB OF
DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW.
I THINK DISPLACEMENT DISRUPTS
THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY IN
SO MANY WAYS.
THE CULTURAL ELEMENT AND THE WAY
A COMMUNITY INTERACTS WITH ITS
PUBLIC PLACES AND PUBLIC HUBS
IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT. I
KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THE 15 MINUTE CITY IDEA WHERE
YOU ARE ABLE TO LIVE NEAR YOUR
DAILY NEEDS AND ABLE TO ACCESS
THOSE THINGS WITHIN A
REASONABLE WALKING DISTANCE, BUT
I THINK ALMOST A BIGGER ELEMENT
OF THAT IS YOUR SENSE OF
COMMUNITY BELONGING AND
NEIGHBORHOOD TRUST AND
AWARENESS OF THE PEOPLE THAT
LIVE AROUND YOU AND THAT YOU
INTERACT WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
THAT IS A HUGE PART OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE NEED
IT EVERYWHERE, BUT IT IS AN
ELEMENT WE ARE NOT TALKING
ABOUT HERE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
>> YEAH.
SO WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED TALK
ABOUT -- MY MIND WENT TO
CULTURAL SPACES, YOU KNOW,
RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS,
COMMUNITY CENTERS WHEN I'M
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE PRESERVE
SPACE FOR OUR CULTURAL
COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
ETHNIC IMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY
IN SOUTH SEATTLE.
CAN YOU SAY MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU
MEAN WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
REMEMBERING TO PRESERVE
CULTURAL SPACE?
>> I THINK I'M TALKING ABOUT
THE WAY THAT COMMUNITIES
INTERACT WITH PUBLIC SPACES
THAT OFTEN IS THE STREET OR
PUBLIC SQUARES ARE JUST HANGING
AROUND OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW LIKE
IN PUBLIC PARKS AND COMMUNITY
GARDENS AND THE SIDEWALK SPACE
BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE
STREET AND THE WAY THAT ALLOWS
YOU TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR
COMMUNITY.
I FEEL LIKE IT IS SOMETHING THAT
WHEN YOU MOVE INTO A SPACE OR
LOOK AT THE SPACE THAT IS LIKE
SINGLE-FAMILY ZONING WITH A LOT
OF SPACE BETWEEN THE HOUSES AND
A LOT OF SPACE BETWEEN THE
BUILDING AND THE STREET AND
THERE IS JUST A LOT OF EMPTY
SPACE, AND KIND OF THE CULTURAL
NEED TO KEEP TO YOURSELF A
LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU ARE JUST
SORT OF ISOLATING. AND TRYING
TO PLACE AN EMPHASIS IN VALUE
ON PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER IN
THOSE SPACES IN THE SPACES AS
CONNECTING.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE.
GO AHEAD.
>> IT MADE ME THINK FOR ME
THERE IS SO MUCH VALUE, AND
THIS IS BECAUSE I LIVED IN NEW
YORK CITY FOR A LONG TIME, BUT
THAT COMES FROM THAT
INTERACTION ON THE STREET AND
THAT INTERESTING CAN'T HAPPEN
WHEN PEOPLE ARE INVITED CARS.
PEOPLE GET IN THEIR CARS AND
LEAVE.
INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO CREATE
THAT SPACE.
I THINK IT IS SO VALUABLE AND I
THINK WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE IN CRISIS, I WAS
IN NEW YORK DURING FLOODING
DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND I
THINK WHAT PEOPLE SAW COMING
OUT OF THAT AND WHAT WE SEE SO
MANY OF THESE CRISES IS THAT
COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND
KNOWING YOUR NEIGHBORS AND
KNOWING WHO TO CHECK IN ON AND
KNOWING THERE IS SOMEONE THERE
IS SO CRITICAL AND I THINK WE
BUILD THAT BY KNOWING EACH
OHER AND THAT HAPPENS EASIER
WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT IN CARS.
>> THAT IS A PERFECT SEGUE TO
WHAT I WANTED TO ASK COUNSELOR
BOIL BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, THE GOAL IS TO CREATE
NETWORKED NEIGHBORHOODS,
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE THE
THINGS THEY NEED, BUT ALSO A
VERY NEAR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS
ITS OWN RESOURCES.
THERE IS THE ABILITY TO JUST
WALK AROUND AND GET THINGS YOU
NEED AND TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR
AND CHECK IN ON AN ELDER.
YOU KNOW.
I HAVE HEARD IT CALLED 15
MINUTE CITY.
I THINK COUNSELOR BOIL, YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU CALL IT
COMPLETE IMMUNITIES, BUT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HOW ALL OF THESE
ISSUES AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND HOW TO BUILD THAT HEALTHY
NEIGHBORHOOD SYSTEM. ONE OF THE
THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT
YESTERDAY WAS THIS QUESTION OF
HOW WE MOVE AWAY FROM SIDELOAD
POLICYMAKING REGARDING
TRANSPORTATION TO BE MORE
INCLUSIVE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE
VANCOUVER IS MOVING DOWN THE
PATH OF KIND OF MOVING AWAY
FROM SIDELOAD POLICYMAKING AND
MORE COMPREHENSIVELY.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT
YOU ARE DOING?>> SO VANCOUVER
IS UNUSUAL IN THAT WE DON'T
HAVE A CITYWIDE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN.
WE SO FAR HAVE 1 MILLION PLANS,
BUT NOT KIND OF ONE PLAN. SO WE
HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND
THEN WE HAVE YOU KNOW, THEN WE
HAVE OVERARCHING TRANSPORTATION
PLANS AND ECONOMIC COMMERCIAL
LAND PLANS AND OF COURSE THEY
THEORETICALLY LAYER, BUT WE
HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
A FEW DECADES AND A CITYWIDE
PLAN, TRYING TO LOOK AT HOW
THESE ISSUES CONNECT TO EACH
OTHER AND HELPING SORT OF
ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS AND
CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN
THOSE ISSUES SO PEOPLE SEE
THEM.
I REALLY THINK THE STARTING
PLACE FOR ALL THOSE
CONVERSATIONS IS ABOUT HOW
PEOPLE LIVE IN FUR COAT LIVE IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. SOMETIMES I
THINK ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IS
STRENGTHENING THAT CREATIVE
MUSCLE THAT A LOT OF US HAVE
SORT OF LOST IN ENVISIONING A
GREAT OUR COMMUNITIES COULD BE.
WE END UP FIGHTING FOR THESE
LITTLE CHANGES OR TRYING TO
PREVENT THINGS FROM GETTING
WORSE AND TO HAVE THE CREATIVE
COMMUNITY SPACE TO THINK ABOUT
HOW MUCH BETTER IT COULD BE IS
SUCH A VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT
TOOL.
SO I THINK THERE'S A RICHNESS
IN THAT CONVERSATION AND
THINKING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THE
TYPES OF -- YOU KNOW, WHEN WE
ASK WHAT YOU WANT YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT
WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE ARE ABOUT
THE COMMUNITY SPACES AND PUBLIC
SPACES THAT THEY LOVE.
IT IS ABOUT THE SMALL LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND I THINK A LOT
ABOUT THE SMALL CULTURALLY
SIGNIFICANT BUSINESSES WE HAVE
AROUND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
DESTINATION POINTS FOR PEOPLE,
THAT ARE REAL IMPORTANT PLACES
FOR CULTURE AND CONNECTION. SO
HOW DO WE PROTECT THOSE? MORE
SO IN CANADA THAN IN THE
STATES, WE HAVE LIMITED TOOLS
AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL FOR
ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES.
WE HAVE SEEN MASSIVE
DOWNLOADING OF RESPONSE
ABILITIES AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL
THE TOOLS WE WOULD NEED TO
ADDRESS THEM, BUT I THINK THAT
FIRST-PLACE OF THINKING ABOUT
THE KINDS OF PLACES WE WOULD
LIKE TO LIVE AND THEN BUILDING
OUR COMMUNITIES UP AROUND THEM,
IT IS NO SURPRISE TO ALL OF US
IT IS EASY ACCESS TO YOUR DAILY
NEEDS. IT IS SAFE STREETS TO
GET AROUND, IT IS SPACE IN
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.
TO YOUR POINT, ANNA, IN MY OWN
EXPERIENCE SEE HOW WHEN I WALK
MY KID TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY, I
MEET NEIGHBORS AND THEN I KNOW
THOSE NEIGHBORS SO WHEN I NEED
TO BORROW SOMETHING OR THEY
NEED A HAND WITH CHILDCARE,
THOSE ARE RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE
AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT
HAVE BEEN BUILT OVER A 10
MINUTE WINDOW EVERY FIVE DAYS A
WEEK.
THEY MAKE MY LIFE EXPONENTIALLY
BETTER AND ALSO EASIER. SO I
FEEL I SPEWED 1 MILLION IDEAS
BECAUSE IT IS A TOPIC I LOVE SO
MUCH, BUT YEAH.
I MEAN, I FEEL STRONGLY THAT
PEOPLE RESONATE WITH THESE
IDEAS ABOUT COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES AND ONE OF THE
BARRIERS OFTEN IS KIND OF TRUST
AND BEING ABLE TO GET THERE.
>> SO I MEAN WE ARE IN A
SIMILAR BOAT. WE HAVE LOTS OF
DIFFERENT PLANS. MY HOPE IS
THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE
CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, WE
DON'T MAKE ANY DECISIONS ON ONE
PIECE BEFORE ALL THE OTHER
PIECES LINEUP, BUT IT IS
CHALLENGING BECAUSE THERE ARE
SO MANY NEEDS AND PEOPLE ARE AS
YOU SAY SORT OF FIGHTING FOR
CRUMBS INSTEAD OF ZOOMING OUT
AND TAKING THE BIG PICTURE AND
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE
HOLD ALL OF THIS AND MAKE THE
DECISIONS IN A WAY THAT SERVES,
AS CLARA WAS SAYING, STARTS
WITH SERVING THE MOST
VULNERABLE AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEIR NEEDS ARE MET, THAT THEY
HAVE ACCESS TO THE THINGS THAT
THEY NEED AND WORK IT OUT FROM
THERE.
IT IS PAUL SAYING WE ALL DO
BETTER WHEN WE ALL DO BETTER.
THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO START
WITH THE FOLKS WHO ARE THE
FURTHEST FROM JUSTICE, WHETHER
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
TRANSPORTATION OR HOUSING OR
OTHER THINGS.
>> I THINK SO MUCH OF OUR LAND-
USE.
THE VOICES WHO WERE MOST LOUDLY
HEARD AND A LOT OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT DECISIONS ARE FOLKS
WHO ARE COMFORTABLY HOUSE IN A
LOT OF PLACES LIKE HOMEOWNER
ASSOCIATIONS, THOSE VOICES
RESIST THE TYPE OF CHANGES THAT
INVITE MORE PEOPLE IN OR HOLD
AND PROTECT SPACE FOR THOSE
FURTHEST FROM JUSTICE AND THAT
IS A CHALLENGE FOR US IN OUR
STRUCTURES AND ACCURACIES AND
THE OTHER THING I WILL ADD, NOT
TO JUST NAME PROBLEMS IS
EYEWITNESS SOMETIMES PLANNING
FUNCTIONS TO SLOW DOWN CHANGE
THAT WE NEED TO BE MAKING A LOT
MORE QUICK, PARTICULARLY ON THE
TIMELINE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS
THAT WE ARE SEEING, SO WE WILL,
AND WE ARE IN YEAR THREE OF A
CITYWIDE PLAN, AND I THINK
THERE IS VALUE TO IT IN TERMS
OF CONNECTING ALL OF THESE
POINTS, BUT WE ARE HEARING THAT
WE SHOULD NOT APPROVE OF THIS
SPRING BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT
BEEN ENOUGH CONSULTATION, AND
IN A LOT OF WAYS I THINK THAT
IS DELAYING CHANGES WE DO NEED
TO BRING IN AND THERE IS A
TENSION ON A LOT OF THESE
ISSUES.
WE DO NEED TO BE AT THING MORE
LIKELY.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE AND THE
CHALLENGE OF HOW DO WE CENTER
THOSE WHO ARE FURTHEST FROM
JUSTICE AND THEN BE MAKING
THOSE CHANGES AND LEARNING FROM
THEM AND CONTINUING TO MAKE
THEM RATHER THAN CONSTANTLY
DELAYING OR LETTING THOSE VOICES
WHO ARE MOST COMFORTABLE CALL
THE SHOTS.
>> YEAH.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WHAT
THAT MEANS AND WHO IS ENGAGED
IS CERTAINLY A BIG QUESTION.
SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE FINDING
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO
HOUSING, SOMETHING THAT IS
PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING HERE.
>> I W█ANTED TO ASK YOU, YOU KNW
, WHAT ARE THE MISSING LINKS
THAT KEEP SEATTLE'S
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK FROM
REALLY SERVING THE DIFFERENT
NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY?
WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
I MENTIONED AT THE TOP WE HAVE
VERY FEW PROTECTED BY CLAIMS.
ARE THERE OTHER THINGS YOU ARE
THINKING ABOUT, WHETHER IT IS
FROM A CITYWIDE PERSPECTIVE IN
TERMS OF HOW BIG PICTURE AND
PHYSICIAN THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN,
OR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO
ACCESS THE CHILDCARE CENTER OR
GET TO SCHOOL, WHAT DO YOU
THINK ARE SOME OF THE MISSING
LINKS AND HOW DO WE CLOSE THE
GAPS TO START MAKING
IMPROVEMENTS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS?
>> THIS IS A HARD QUESTION
BECAUSE I START FROM THIS
PERSPECTIVE OF THE PEOPLE THAT
I TALK TO THROUGH MY WORK, MOST
OF THEM WOULD LOVE TO LIVE IN A
PLACE LIKE SEATTLE, ANYWHERE
NEAR SEATTLE WHERE THERE IS THE
KIND OF KING COUNTY METRO,
WHERE THERE ARE SIDEWALKS.
SO IN SOME WAYS IT FEELS LIKE
NITPICKY TO TALK ABOUT THE GAPS
IN OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE THE GAPS
IN THE COUNTY OR IN THE REGION
OR IN THE STATE ARE SO MUCH
BIGGER AND PRESENT SO MUCH MORE
OF A CHALLENGE FOR PEOPLE WHO
DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS TO DRIVE
BUT THAT SAID, I LOOK AT MY
BLOG AND I'M LIKE WHY AREN'T
MORE PEOPLE RIDING THE BUS?
THE SEVEN IS A THREE MINUTE
WALK.
WHAT IS STOPPING THAT?
IN SOME CASES THERE ARE
ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS.
THERE AREN'T ACCESSIBLE
CROSSINGS, CARS DON'T ALWAYS
YIELD AT INTERSECTIONS.
THOSE ARE THINGS.
I DO THINK IT IS MORE THAN THAT
AND IT WILL BE A CULTURAL SHIFT
AND MAYBE IT IS ABOUT HOW DO WE
GET PEOPLE TO CHOOSE TO NOT
DRIVE SOMEWHERE AND I THINK IT
MIGHT COME DOWN TO MAKING
DRIVING LESS OF AN ATTRACTIVE
CHOICE BECAUSE TO BE HONEST OUR
TRANSIT SYSTEM IN SEATTLE,
THERE ARE GAPS, BUT IT IS
PRETTY GOOD. SO IT IS TIME TO
START LOOKING AT THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE ASIAN.
>> I SOMETIMES WONDER, LIKE ONE
OF THE METRICS I THINK ABOUT IS
IF SOMEONE IS PULLING UP GOOGLE
MAPS TO SEE HOW LONG IT IS
GOING TO TAKE THEM FROM ONE
PLACE TO THE OTHER, IT IS A
MAJOR PROBLEM IF IT TAKES HALF
THE TIME TO DRIVE THERE THAN IT
DOES TO SAFELY TAKE TRANSIT OR
SAFELY USE ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE NEED TO REBALANCE THAT SO
THAT THE MOST CONVENIENT CHOICE
IS ALSO THE CHOICE THAT IS
USING THE LEAST EMISSIONS, AND
IS THE MOST EFFICIENT AND
SAFEST FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
AND NOT JUST FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL.>> WE HAVE A GREAT
BUT SYSTEM AND MY KID GOES TO
CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW.
GETTING FROM WHERE I LIVE TO
THAT HIGH SCHOOL IS TO BUSES,
MAYBE THREE AND WE ARE TWO
MILES AWAY.
SO YOU KNOW. THIS IS A
CONVERSATION TO BE HAVING WITH
KING COUNTY METRO ABOUT HOW WE
INCREASE FREQUENCY OF THE
BUSES, HOW WE INCREASE
RELIABILITY BECAUSE AS GREAT AS
THE SEVEN IS, AND I DON'T WORRY
ABOUT WHAT TIME THE BUS IS
COMING IF I'M TAKING THE SEVEN
BECAUSE IT COMES EVERY FEW
MINUTES.
THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE IF I
MISS THE ONE I WAS AIMING FOR,
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OUR
ENTIRE SYSTEM WORKING THAT WAY,
AND I WAS TALKING TO SOME OF
THE KIDS ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL LAST
WEEK I, AND ONE OF THE STUDENTS
ASKED ME, HE TAKES THE 106 AND
HE SAID THE BUS COMES EVERY 30
MINUTES AND IF I MISS IT, I
HAVE TO WAIT A REALLY LONG TIME
EITHER TO GET TO SCHOOL OR TO
GET HOME.
HE HAS GOT AFTERSCHOOL
ACTIVITIES.
SO INCREASING THE FREQUENCY AND
RELIABILITY OF ALL OF OUR BUSES
IS IMPORTANT. ALSO TO YOUR POINT
, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SO MANY
PEOPLE PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY,
WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS LIVING
IN SOUTH KING COUNTY IS STILL
RIDE THE BUS INTO TOWN TO GO TO
WORK.
SO THAT IS A SYSTEM I THINK
WHILE I AGREE WE HAVE A GOOD
SYSTEM, THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM
FOR IMPROVEMENT, ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THOSE
NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NOT IN
SEATTLE ANYMORE, BUT STILL HAVE
TO COME IN.
CLARA, I FEEL LIKE I SAW YOU
START TO SAY SOMETHING AND I
SPOKE OVER YOU.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> YOU ARE FINE.
I WAS JUST THINKING THAT GOES
BACK TO ANNA'S EARLIER COMMENTS
ABOUT RESILIENCY AND HAVING
MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR FOLKS.
IF YOU DO MISS UP THE AND IT
DOESN'T COME, YOU HAVE ANOTHER
OPTION FOR HOW TO GET WHERE YOU
WILL NEED TO GO.>> YEAH.
>> I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT
SOMETHING WE LEARNED ABOUT THAT
THEY ARE DOING IN MONTRCAL, OR
MAYBE THIS IS JUST PROPOSED,
BUT DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE
NOTE LOTS OF COMMUNITIES PUT
SOME SERIOUS INVESTMENT INTO
PEDESTRIAN ICING STREETS,
EXPANDING BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE.
HERE IN SEATTLE WE DID A LOT OF
TEMPORARY THINGS, BUT WE DIDN'T
REALLY GO AS FAR AS SOME
COMMUNITIES DID, AND I'M
THINKING OF MONTRCAL THAT HAS
AN EXPRESS BIKE NETWORK THAT
REALLY PROVIDES CLEAR BOUNDARIES
FOR SPACES THAT ARE DEDICATED
TO BIKES, SPACES DEDICATED TO
BUS, CAR YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS
FOR PEDESTRIANS AND THE GOAL IS
TO INCREASE EVERYBODY'S COMFORT,
EVERYBODY'S SENSE OF SAFETY AS
THEY ARE USING WHICHEVER MOOD
THEY CHOOSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS
SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT
HAPPENING IN VANCOUVER, BUT I
WONDER IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT
WHAT YOU THINK MOTIVATES SOME
CITIES TO REALLY GO FOR IT AND
MAKE THOSE COMMITMENTS?
>> IN VANCOUVER WE WERE SIMILAR
TO SEATTLE.
WE DID A LOT OF TEMPORARY
REALLOCATION, AND NOW WE ARE
CHALLENGED AND PART OF IT IS
LIKE AN INFRASTRUCTURE COST
CHALLENGE, MAKING THOSE
TEMPORARY CHANGES PERMANENT.
LARGELY THEY WERE POPULAR. WITH
THE EXCEPTION THAT WE HAVE THIS
TEMPORARY FLOW STREET SYSTEM
AND WE HAVE THESE BIG ORANGE
WATER-FILLED BARRIERS, BUT THE
WATER DRAINS OUT AND THEY GET
MOVED OR TRUCKS GET FRUSTRATED
AND RAN INTO THEM AND THEY ARE
IN A DITCH, SO PEOPLE LIKED THE
TEMPORARY SYSTEM, BUT THEY WERE
FRUSTRATED WITH HOW OFTEN THEY
WERE MOVING, GOT MOVED OUT OF
PLACE.
THERE WOULD BE PUBLIC SUPPORT
TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES MORE
PERMANENT, BUT IT IS AN
INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE FOR US
AND HAVING THE FUNDING TO MAKE
THOSE CHANGES, EVEN THOUGH WE
END UP SPENDING MONEY ON
ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF
TEMPORARY PROGRAMS THAT OVER A
PRETTY SHORT TIME MAKE MORE
SENSE TO BE SPENDING ON MAKING
THIS CHANGE IS PERMANENT, SO
THAT IS CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE
AND A CONVERSATION WE HAVE AND
HAVING.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO MONTRCAL IN A
LONG TIME, BUT I FOLLOW THE
CHANGES THEY ARE MAKING.
MY PARTNER GREW UP IN MONTRCAL,
SO I WAS JUST BACK THERE WITH
MY DAUGHTER AND THE THING THEY
TALKED A LOT ABOUT WAS THE
PEDESTRIAN ICING OF PATIOS, THE
BIG CHANGES MONTRCAL MADE THAT
REALLY WAS ABOUT CLEANING A LOT
OF PUBLIC SPACE FOR PEOPLE IN
THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE USING
THAT SPACE, AND I THINK WAYS
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN
IMAGINED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC,
BUT THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY FULL
AND LIVELY AND THEY ARE MAKING
THOSE CHANGES PERMANENT.
THE LAST THING I WILL SAY ON
THIS, I THINK SOME OF THE
CHALLENGE I SEE IS AROUND
LEADERSHIP.
LIKE THAT FUNDING PEACE IS A
REAL CHALLENGE, BUT ALSO OUR
EXPERIENCE, WHAT I SEE IN
MONTRCAL IS THAT THESE TYPES OF
CHANGES ARE QUICKLY POPULAR
WITH RESIDENTS, BUT IT DOES
TAKE SOME LEADERSHIP TO MOVE
THEM INTO PLACE AND TO NOT ALLOW
THE SMALL NUMBER OF LOUD VOICES
WHO MIGHT OPPOSE THEM TO
DOMINATE THE CONVERSATION.
WE KNOW PEOPLE SUPPORT
PEDESTRIAN ISOLATION.
WE KNOW PEOPLE SUPPORT ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION, BUT IT STILL
TAKES STEPPING OUT AND DOING IT
AND LIKE I SAID AT THE
BEGINNING, I THINK THAT IS A
CHALLENGE FOR US AS ELECTED
LEADERS AND AN ORGANIZING
CHALLENGE FOR COMMUNITIES AND
PUSHING AND SPEAKING UP IN
SUPPORT OF THOSE THINGS.
WE ARE NOT FAR OFF FROM YOU ON
THAT FRONT AND TRYING TO MAKE
THESE TEMPORARY CHANGES
PERMANENT, AND THOSE EXAMPLES
AND THE STORIES FROM PLACES
LIKE MONTRCAL WHO HAVE REALLY
STEPPED UP AND DONE AND WHERE
PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING
POSITIVELY I THINK ARE
IMPORTANT TO BE SHARING. IT'S
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN DO
BETTER.
>> I KNOW I WILL GIVE YOU THE
LAST WORD ON THIS.
HAVE BOTH BEEN VERY INVOLVED
WITH WASHINGTON BOULEVARD,
WHICH IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW,
IT IS MAYBE A FOUR MILE ROAD
ALONG THE LAKE.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
IT WAS ONE OF OUR STAY HEALTHY
STREETS DURING THE PANDEMIC AND
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO KEEP
IT SOMEWHAT MORE PERMANENT. SO
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM BOTH
OF YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE
HEARING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
YOU KNOW, HOW YOU THINK THE
SPACE COULD BE USED.
>> I WILL START AND YOU CAN
CONCLUDE.
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I GUESS LIKE YOU KNOW, WHAT WE
HEAR FROM THE FOLKS WE TALKED
TO WHO DON'T HAVE THE ACCESS OF
BEING ABLE TO GET IN A CAR AND
DRIVE TO A PARK IN THE CASCADES
OR OLYMPIC PENINSULA IS THE
IMPORTANCE OF OPEN SPACE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES ACCESSIBLE TO US,
ACCESSIBLE TO TRANSIT.
NOT THAT THERE IS THE BEST
TRANSIT CONNECTION BECAUSE THE
SAFETY DOESN'T RUN THAT OP-ED,
BUT THERE IS A TRANSIT
CONNECTION.
SO I HOPE WE HAVE A REAL
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT OUR
OPEN-SPACE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO OR DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO GETTING OUT OF
TOWN TO GET THAT OPEN-SPACE.
SO THAT IS MY HOPE FOR THIS
CONVERSATION.
>> TOTALLY AGREE.
YOU KNOW.
I THINK WE HAD A SIMILAR
EXPERIENCE IN SEATTLE TO WHAT
YOU HAD IN VANCOUVER WITH
REGARDS TO SOME OF THESE OPEN
SPACES IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS
WHERE IT WAS KIND OF A QUICK
INSTALL SITUATION AND A LOT OF
THE MATERIALS WE WERE USING
FELL APART REALLY QUICKLY AND
THERE WAS A HUGE ENERGETIC
COMMUNITY RESPONSE AT FIRST AND
THEN THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF
COMMUNITY ANGER ABOUT YOU KNOW
SOMEONE RAN OVER THE SIGN ON MY
STREET AND NOW THERE IS A PILE
OF WOOD SITTING IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE STREET AND IT IS EVEN
MORE DANGEROUS AND I THINK
THERE WAS A LOT OF FRUSTRATION
ABOUT THESE TEMPORARY ROLLOUT
PILOTS.
PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH END,
WE GET USED TO THE CITY ROLLING
IN SOMETHING EXCITING AND
TAKING PICTURES AND SWOOPING
OUT AND LEAVING IT.
IT FALLS APART IN A YEAR OR
WHATEVER.
THERE IS A LOT OF THIRST FOR
THE PERMANENT INVESTMENTS THAT
ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR
COMMUNITIES BETTER AND HELP OUR
COMMUNITIES THRIVE.
RUSSIAN BOULEVARD IS BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS SO PLEASANT TO BE DOWN
THERE.
I WAS JUST DOWN THERE THIS LAST
WEEKEND.
IT WAS CLOSED.
IT IS SUCH A JOYFUL SPACE. IT
WAS ALMOST LIKE TOO CROWDED.
THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE.
LIKE IT IS ASTOUNDING TO ME WE
HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE
THAT A REGULAR THING.
>> BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND I DIDN'T
MAKE IT OUT TO MASK.
>> IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
>> LOTS AND LOTS OF KIDS HAVING
A GOOD TIME AND THEY WERE ABLE
TO ENJOY IT WITH FAMILIES.
SO YEAH.
THE ROAD IS CLOSED ON WEEKENDS
FOR THE SUMMER, AND WE WILL SEE
IF WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE TOWARDS
SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE
PERMANENT.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. I
JUST WANTED TO SHARE, REFLECT
BACK TO A FEW THINGS WE TALKED
ABOUT THAT ARE IMPORTANT AS WE
MOVE FORWARD WE TALKED ABOUT
ACCESSIBILITY AND NEEDING TO
KEEP IN MIND PEOPLE WHO WE MAY
NOT WORK WITH, MAY NOT TALK TO,
IT MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WHO ARE
STILL IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR
COMMUNITY, SO FOR EXAMPLE, SHIFT
WORKERS IN SOTO, PEOPLE WHO ARE
WALKING AND BIKING IN SOTO WHO
ARE GOING TO WORK BUT CAN'T OR
CHOOSE NOT TO DRIVE AND WHO
STILL NEED TO BE SAFE WHILE
THEY ARE NAVIGATING THROUGH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND GETTING TO
WORK AND GETTING OFF WORK.
WHO CAN'T AFFORD TRANSIT PASSES
BECAUSE WE HAVE THEM AND THEY
ARE GREAT, BUT THERE IS NO
MONTHLY DISCOUNT.
YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY FULL PRICE
. THERE IS NO BULK RACING,
WHICH I KNOW THEY EXIST IN
OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO HOW WE MIGHT LOOK AT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I AM INTERESTED IN THE QUESTION
AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER
CONVERSATION.
THE QUESTION OF YOU KNOW, IS IT
A PRIVILEGE OR NECESSITY TO
HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO HAVING A
CAR TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND?
IF IT IS A BIKE OR SOME OTHER
MOTORIZED OR NONMOTORIZED, HOW
WE MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO
HAVE ACCESS TO WAYS TO GET
AROUND SO THAT WE CAN BUILD IN
REDUNDANCIES FOR THEM.
I THINK SOMETHING WE TALKED
ABOUT A LOT IS JUST THE REAL
NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR MOST
NORMAL NEIGHBORS AS WE ARE
MAKING POLICY DECISIONS, AS WE
ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH
NEIGHBORS ABOUT WHY THESE
CHANGES MIGHT BE GOOD FOR OUR
COMMUNITY AND NOT SOMETHING TO
OBJECT TO OR RAIL AGAINST, BUT
HAVING SOME ALTERNATIVES TO
DRIVING, WHAT IT COULD DO FOR
OUR RELATIONSHIPS TO ONE
ANOTHER, RELATIONSHIPS TO OUR
CITY AND NEIGHBORS AND TO OUR
COMMUNITIES.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BRING
IN THAT ELEMENT INTO THIS
CONVERSATION, LIKE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS, WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT A COMMUNITY,
AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING
TO DO, BUILD HEALTHY
NEIGHBORHOODS AND HEALTHY
COMMUNITIES AND WE SHOULD
ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE
NOT TALKING ABOUT UNITS OF
PRODUCTION OR VEHICLES TRAVELING
THROUGH.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE AND
THAT IS WHY THIS WORK IS SO
IMPORTANT.
I WANT TO THANK ANNA ZIVARTS,
CLARA CANTOR , CHRISTINE BOYLE
FOR JOINING US TODAY.
THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT
CONVERSATION.
TO OUR AUDIENCE, I WANT TO ASK
IF YOU HAVE GOT COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE GOT SUGGESTIONS FOR
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS
SPEAKER SERIES, PLEASE LET US
KNOW.
WE HAVE NOT HELD OUT THE
CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR, SO THERE
IS LOTS OF ROOM FOR ADDING YOUR
IDEAS INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS.
YOU CAN SEND SUGGESTIONS TO MY
OFFICE. WE ARE ON ALL THE
SOCIALS.
IF YOU WANT TO ATTACK US THERE
AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
THINKING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR NEXT
CONVERSATION SCHEDULED, BUT
THERE WILL BE AT LEAST ONE
DISCUSSION IN JUNE.
SO AS SOON AS WE HAVE DETAILS
ABOUT THAT, WE WILL MAKE SURE
WE ARE LETTING FOLKS KNOW ABOUT
THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO CATCH THIS
SEGMENT AGAIN OR IF YOU WANT TO
WATCH TO SHARE WITH SOMEONE
THAT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FIND A
LINK TO THIS ON MY WEBSITE
SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCILS/TRAN01.
THIS IS A SPEAKER SERIES WE ARE
CALLING SEATTLE BUT THEN RACH
AND I WANT TO SAY IN ADDITION
TO THE SPEAKER SERIES, WE ARE
WORKING ON POLICIES BASED ON
THE IDEAS AND CONVERSATIONS WE
ARE HAVING.
SO OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO,
WE WILL BE UNVEILING THE
POLICIES THAT COME OUT OF THESE
DISCUSSIONS.
SO PLEASE BE PART OF THE
DISCUSSION.
WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE THE NEXT
ONE IN PERSON AND WE ARE HOPING
TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM YOU
ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE THINKING AND
WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE
NEXT.
SO THANKS FOR BEING WITH US,
EVERYBODY.
WE ARE SIGNING OFF AND I HOPE
YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY.