I was disappointed to see that the Washington State League of Women Voters has endorsed Referendum 51. It is true that R-51 would provide a small amount of funding for HOV lanes, ferries, rail and public transportation. Unfortunately, it would also provide a large amount of money to finance enormous environmental degradation without improving traffic. And, as County Councilman Gary Nelson admitted in his Aug. 23 letter (“Referendum 51: County will benefit from its passage”) R-51 would only supply the “down payment” on these construction projects.
The bulk of the money – 85 percent – raised through R-51 would fund highway construction. This comprises the biggest freeway construction program in the history of the state. Unfortunately, adding lanes to all our major highways as R-51 would do will worsen, not help, traffic problems.
The Seattle-Everett area increased its miles of highways and roadways by 44 percent between 1982 and 1997 while the population only increased by 36 percent during that time. And you tell me: has the traffic congestion improved since 1982? This report and others show that we cannot build our way out of gridlock.
On the other hand, building these roads has an enormous detrimental effect on our quality of life, well beyond the frustration of lining up behind the flagger. By adding more cars they increase air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They directly adversely affect (often destroy) wetlands and other wildlife habitat. Road construction also promotes sprawl by increasing access to far-flung residences by private auto, but not by public transit or bicycle. This is the monster that has destroyed LA, Atlanta and Houston.
I’m all for increased gas taxes. It’s a great way to cause people to think twice about using a non-renewable, polluting resource. But a gas tax that goes to drastically worsen the problem it purports to fix will help none of us. Vote no on R-51, and work for a tax that will fund real solutions, such as improved public transportation and better-planned communities.
Lake Stevens
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