Anyone that has read any of my posts should realize that I am a small government/low tax kind of guy.

That said, I am also a heavy road user, and frustrated driver.

So, I was really on the fence over Prop 1, which would be the biggest single tax increase in US history, but promises several road improvements, along with rail and other transit projects.

I finally fell off the fence this weekend, and landed squarely on the NO side.

The tipping point came after I read two pieces in the News Tribune this weekend, here, and here.

In the final analysis, what disturbed my equilibrium was this glaring piece of information:

NONE OF THE PROJECTS IN THE PIERCE COUNTY EVEN START CONSTRUCTION THIS DECADE, AND ONLY ONE IN S. KING CO. STARTS BEFORE 2009.  Only Three complete before 2020!

This includes the extension of Hwy. 167 to I-5, and the Cross Base Hwy (which may or may not happen) that wouldn’t begin until 2018/2020 and constrcution would not be complete until 2023/2024!

Even the Light Rail extensions would not open until 2027!

In the final analysis. this project cost far too much, over far too long a timeframe.  It is a wonderful Grand Scheme to overhaul transportation in Puget Sound, and if we could flip a switch and make it happen, that would be wonderful.  But we don’t live in such a Utopia, and resources need to be placed where they can be used to fix the worst problems NOW.

If the Washington DOT is not up to the job, maybe we should find some private companies who would be willing to do the work. 

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