Many thanks to the residents and business owners of Skyway-West Hill who came to the subarea planning forum at Albert Talley High School on October 30. With more than 50 people in attendance, it was clear there is strong interest in the future look of this unincorporated area community between Seattle, Renton, and Tukwila.
Continue reading Planning land use and the built environment of Skyway-West Hill
One day after being named the first director of a new King County department designed to exclusively serve residents of the unincorporated areas, John Taylor participated at a retreat for division leaders and outlined his vision for delivering outstanding local public services.
“There is currently no city hall for the residents of unincorporated King County, yet it’s in effect a city of 250,000 people,” he said. “Our goal is to give them that ‘city hall’ — a place they can get permits in a simple way, get their questions answered, and find out what other services are available to them.” Continue reading John Taylor takes helm as inaugural director of Department of Local Services
The new Department of Local Services, established by ordinance last week by the King County Council, is now part of the 2019-2020 King County budget which Executive Dow Constantine this week proposed to the Council.
Continue reading Executive details new Dept. of Local Services in proposed 2019-2020 budget
by Harold S. Taniguchi
Director, King County Dept. of Transportation
Local Services Transition Lead
On behalf of all who work with residents of unincorporated King County, I want to thank members of the Metropolitan King County Council for unanimously adopting an ordinance to make our new King County Department of Local Services a reality.
As you can see in this statement from Executive Constantine, this Council action now leads us into the budget process. The Department of Local Services (DLS) will be funded with existing revenues, and the Executive will now include the DLS in the 2019-2020 biennial budget he will propose to the Council on September 24. The Council is scheduled to adopt a County budget by Thanksgiving. Continue reading Council establishes new Department of Local Services
by Harold S. Taniguchi
Director, King County Dept. of Transportation
In May and June, I’m looking forward to attending our nine remaining Community Services Area Town Hall meetings. In partnership with members of the King County Council, who provide direct representation in their respective districts, these annual meetings are a chance for us to get out to where residents of the unincorporated areas live, hear your concerns, and gather your feedback. Continue reading Town Hall meetings highlight proposed Department of Local Services
From the time he joined King County in 1983, Harold Taniguchi has always made it a point to surround himself with leaders dedicated to excellence — and in particular with professional women who, in his words, felt “free to speak their minds and were not intimidated by anyone else’s position.”
Over his expansive 35-year career, Taniguchi has built a reputation as a leader who supports the professional development of his employees and advances people based on merit and talent. As director of the King County Department of Transportation, he has created a work culture that fosters inclusion, one where women now hold nearly one-third of the leadership positions at KCDOT. Continue reading Director Taniguchi honored for his advocacy of the leadership of women in transportation
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Not everyone who needs transit lives near a bus stop. And not every area has the right mix of infrastructure and housing to support traditional bus service. So Metro is exploring several new ways to connect more people to transit and improve mobility options for customers who need them.
Metro recently launched the Des Moines Community Shuttle/Route 635, in partnership with the City of Des Moines, to connect workers commuting to Des Moines with the Angle Lake light rail station. It is one of the ways Metro is working to connect more people to transit and improve mobility. Continue reading Improving mobility by connecting more communities to transit
Crossposted excerpt from the Seattle Medium newspaper.
By Rob Gannon, King County Metro General Manager
When you board a Metro bus, you’re doing more than getting a ride—you’re exercising a right.That’s what we believe at Metro: Transportation is a human right—your right to go where you want to go and have access to the opportunities we all need to thrive. Metro works hard to make that right a reality for everyone in King County. Continue reading King County Metro Honors the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The year 2017 saw adjustments to Metro Transit fares aimed at making public transit easier for all to use and understand and more affordable for those in need.
Youth ridership on buses, trains and streetcars increased dramatically last summer when King County Executive Dow Constantine launched a pilot program offering reduced 50-cent fares for youth paying with ORCA cards for Metro buses, to make it easier for young residents – particularly those who have limited transportation options – to take transit to jobs, internships, camps, and other activities during the summer, when youth ridership has historically declined. Sound Transit offered a reduced fare of $1 and Seattle offered $0.50 fares for the Streetcar. Metro distributed more than 11,000 free ORCA Youth cards during the promotion – twice more than originally planned. Excluding ORCA cards offered through other programs, Metro’s youth ridership increased to 376,000 boardings, up 35 percent from the previous summer. Youth ridership on Link light rail increased 42 percent while Streetcar boardings increased 25 percent. Continue reading 2017 in review: Metro Transit fares made simpler for all and more accessible
The year 2017 was not only a busy one at King County International Airport/Boeing Field, it was also an historic one.
New runway numbers: For the first time in a half-century, the runway numbers at the Airport field were changed to keep pace with the earth’s shifting magnetic field. The numbers are tied directly to our location in relation to the globe’s magnetic poles, which create the magnetic field that directs compasses and other navigational devices. That field is generated within the planet’s core and is constantly shifting. Continue reading 2017 in review: New Airport runway numbering and firefighting station
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