Resolution in Support of the ST3 West Seattle Link that will be the Least Disruptive to Maritime Activities

January 29, 2019

The following resolution was passed at the January 16 Delegates Meeting.

WHEREAS, The Sound Transit Board is currently considering the construction of the Sound Transit 3 (ST3) West Seattle Link (Downtown-SoDo-West Seattle) as part of a $54bn project approved by the citizens of Pierce, Snohomish, and Martin Luther King Jr. County,

WHEREAS, this phase of construction will provide thousands of union jobs and apprenticeships for construction and other trades through 2035,

WHEREAS, Terminal 18 in the Port of Seattle, under the Northwest Seaport Alliance, also provides and supports thousands of union jobs in the maritime industry,

WHEREAS, the siting of the ST3 West Seattle Link east-west segment between Delridge and 1st Ave S. will impact freight mobility and cargo movement to and from Terminals 18 and a modernized Terminal 5 in 2024, due to construction impacts,

WHEREAS, we want the ST3 project completed on time with the maximum utilization of union labor while preserving the viability of our marine terminals through mitigation,

WHEREAS, the proposed east-west routes, located south of S. Spokane St., provide the necessary balance of maximizing construction jobs and lessening impacts on marine terminal jobs and operations, And

WHEREAS, Sound Transit will begin DEIS scoping in February of 2019 and make a determination by April 2019 for their preferred alternative for this route, and will need to consider mitigation in this determination, Be It Therefore

RESOLVED, That MLK Labor is on record in support of the ST3 West Seattle Link that will be the least disruptive to maritime activities during and after the construction phase, and will encourage the Sound Transit Board in selecting a preferred option least disruptive to Port maritime terminals and other cargo operations, Be It Further

RESOLVED, That MLK Labor will educate our elected officials on the Sound Transit Board, the Sound Transit Elected Leadership Group, the Port of Seattle/Northwest Seaport Alliance, City of Seattle, MLK Jr County Council, and other government entities on the concerns raised herein, Be It Finally

RESOLVED, that MLK Labor shall communicate the intent of this resolution in writing to the above elected officials in a timely manner.