Drafter
Clerk 08/26/2011
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AN ORDINANCE authorizing the King County executive to execute amendments to three interlocal agreements with the Washington state Department of Transportation relating to the Alaskan Way Viaduct project.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. On October 23, 2008, the Washington state Department of Transportation ("WSDOT") and King County entered into: GCA 5820, an Agreement for Enhanced Transit Services for the Early Safety and Mobility Projects of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program ("the ETS agreement"); GCA 5864, an Agreement for the Expanding Bus Monitoring Project for the Early Safety and Mobility Project of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Sewall Replacement Program (Bus Monitoring Agreement); and GCA 5865, an Agreement for Initial Transit Enhancements and Other Improvement Projects, South-end Transportation Demand Management and Downtown Transportation Demand Management SR 99: Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program. These projects are the Moving Forward projects.
2. The Moving Forward projects agreements with WSDOT provided a means to transfer funds from WSDOT to the King County Metro transit division ("Metro transit") to mitigate traffic congestion and disruption associated with the Moving Forward projects. These mitigation funds will pay for additional buses, expanded service hours, Transportation Demand Management activities and expansion of an electronic bus monitoring system.
3. Due to changes in the construction schedule for the Moving Forward projects, WSDOT and Metro transit wish to extend the term of the ETS agreement from December 31, 2013, to June 30, 2014, as provided in proposed Amendment No. 1 to GCA 5820, Amendment No. 2 to GCA 5664, and Amendment No.1 to GCA 5665.
4. Additionally, WSDOT and Metro transit have determined the King County ferry district's West Seattle water taxi ("the water taxi") and related water taxi commuter shuttle services can provide direct connections to alternative transit routes that would bypass anticipated traffic congestion associated with WSDOT's viaduct construction work.
5. Proposed Amendment No. 1 to GCA 5820 would allow the water taxi to be included as one of the transportation modes eligible for enhancement under the ETS agreement, as determined at the county's discretion, in order to provide an additional means of addressing vehicle traffic congestion during construction activities associated with WSDOT's Moving Forward projects.
6. Proposed Amendment No. 1 to GCA 5820 would allow Metro transit to contract with the ferry district in order to provide a mechanism to implement and fund supplementary water taxi service in furtherance of the traffic mitigation goals and objectives of the ETS agreement.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. The executive is hereby authorized to enter into amendments to three interlocal agreements with WSDOT, substantially in the form of Attachments A, B and C to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. The appropriate county officials, agents, and employees are hereby authorized to take all actions necessary to implement the amended agreements, and all actions heretofore taken by county officials, agents, and employees consistent with the terms and purposes of the amended agreements are hereby ratified, confirmed and approved.
SECTION 3. If any one or more of the covenants or agreements provided in this ordinance shall be declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to law, then the covenant or covenants and agreement or agreements are null and void and shall be deemed separable from the remaining covenants and agreements of this ordinance and
shall in no way affect the validity of the other provisions of this ordinance or the amended agreements.