07/07/2003

Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Federal auditors gave Sound Transit's light-rail project a clean bill of health Monday, saying the Seattle-based transit agency had "significantly strengthened" its proposal since new management took over two years ago.

The report by the U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general concludes that the long-delayed project's cost, schedule and funding estimates are reasonable.

The proposed $2.5 billion, 14-mile line from downtown Seattle to a site in Tukwila, just north of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, also meets federal requirements for a "stand alone" system, even though it stops 1.6 miles north of the airport, the report said.

The report's tone was a sharp contrast to that of an April 2001 audit, when federal officials blasted the agency for poor cost estimates and management problems.

Still, the report raised some concerns, most notably about Initiative 776, the Tim Eyman-sponsored measure that would eliminate motor-vehicle fees and taxes above a flat $30 fee.

Washington state voters approved the measure in November, but a King County Superior Court judge later ruled it unconstitutional and the matter is now pending before the state Supreme Court.

"Until such time as the courts resolve these issues, there will be uncertainty over an important revenue source for Sound Transit," the auditors wrote.

The report recommends that Sound Transit's board formally identify other revenue sources and commit to building the 14-mile line in case the motor-vehicle initiative is ruled valid.

Despite that warning, supporters of the rail line hailed the report, saying it affirms what they have been saying for more than a year: that Sound Transit has turned a corner and is on track to help solve the Seattle area's chronic traffic congestion.

"After two years of thorough investigation, oversight and analysis, the inspector general has said that Sound Transit is off and running," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the measure's chief Senate champion.

Inspector General Kenneth Mead "has looked through Sound Transit's plans with a fine-toothed comb, and he continues to support this important Puget Sound transportation solution," Murray said.

King County Executive Ron Sims, chairman of Sound Transit's board, called the report "a moment of affirmation for Sound Transit." The agency "stands ready to start building" as soon as it receives approval from Congress and the Federal Transit Administration, Sims said.

A House subcommittee is expected to vote this week on President Bush's request for $75 million for Sound Transit in the next fiscal year. The money is part of a proposed $500 million funding agreement being considered by the Bush administration and Congress.

Critics have said the proposed Seattle-to-Tukwila route does not constitute a stand-alone system. Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., has questioned whether the light-rail line actually will relieve congestion and suggested it may not be worth the estimated $2.5 billion tab, which would make it one of the most expensive transit projects in the nation.

Dunn said Monday that the auditor's report, while generally positive, was limited in scope. It did not look at the project's impact on congestion along Interstate 5 or how it might affect current and future King County transportation plans, she said.

"After reviewing the report, serious misgivings remain about this project," said Dunn, a Bellevue resident. She said the Eastside residents who are her constituents "should not be held captive by a transportation project that does little to nothing to relieve congestion in the area."

Based on the uncertainty of Initiative 776 and other "hidden" costs such as environmental remediation and tunneling, Dunn said Sound Transit may be forced to use more local funds to cover cost overruns and lost revenue.