John Creighton: Seattle Gridlock Situation Needs Urgent Solutions

As the Port of Seattle Commission representative on the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board, John Creighton has the enviable opportunity to weigh in on the viability of projects that could improve the transportation situation in Seattle and King County. It's important work, as Seattle has become synonymous with gridlock. According to Seattle Magazine, the average Seattle resident spends 44 hours in traffic per year, and it's become a standard party pastime to trade commuting horror stories. It's the job of the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board to come up with solutions to what has become an almost unsolvable problem.

According to John Creighton, Seattle's main issue is due to a basic overdependence on automobiles. He points to a recent survey in which 52.9 percent of Seattle residents report moving from one place to another while driving alone. Only 18.3 percent take the bus. One way to increase this number is to provide better public transportation services for the residents of Seattle and King County. John Creighton would like to see decisions on these projects made on the basis of ridership, and he'd like to see more Seattle residents take advantage of these options as they become available.

In addition, there are multiple projects available for Seattle to invest in, but the key word is "investment." Construction projects can be expensive, and as John Creighton knows, the federal funds for these projects are becoming harder and harder to obtain. Elected officials can come up with good ideas to put in front of voters, but the reality is that these solutions do come with a price tag. It's an unfortunate part of doing business in a time when state and federal budgets are so very restricted.  It is incumbent upon elected officials to make sure that only projects offering real solutions to our traffic mess are brought forward and that those project are planned and managed at the least cost to taxpayers, John Creighton says.