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Opinion
I shouldn’t fear for my safety on a walk from the ferry to the Pioneer
Square light-rail station
Oct. 29, 2021 at 10:01 am
Cars and pedestrians disembark from the Tacoma ferry from Bainbridge
Island at Colman Dock, Jan. 16, 2020. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle
Times, File)

By Scott Hamilton
Special to The Times
When we moved from Sammamish to Bainbridge Island in 2016, I continued
to be a regular traveler from Sea-Tac Airport across the U.S. and to Europe.

Getting to the airport from Bainbridge required taking the ferry to
Colman Dock and then other transportation to the airport. I’d either
take a cab, a for-hire car or — for many years — my preferred choice was
to walk to the Pioneer Square light-rail station. Taking light rail to
the airport was longer, 45 minutes versus a 15-minute car ride. But you
can’t beat the $1 senior fare versus a $40-$45 car fare, plus tip.

Initially, I descended the stairs from the terminal and walked down
Alaskan Way before turning east on whichever street struck my fancy that
day. Later, I walked straight down the pedestrian ramp, exiting to First
Avenue and from there either straight up to Third Avenue or down First
Avenue to Yesler Way, and then up past Pioneer Square to the Yesler Way
entrance, dragging my wheelie luggage and toting my carry-on bag over my
shoulder.

Throughout 2016, the walk was of little concern. But as 2016 turned into
2017, 2017 into 2018, and 2018 into 2019, the walks became increasingly
perilous. (From 2020 until May 2021, with the COVID-19-induced pandemic,
my travels ground to a halt.)

However, as the homelessness problem increased in Seattle, safety became
an issue. The first route to go was the walk, under the viaduct. The
mini-tent city grew over time. Ferry-to-light rail walkers began walking
in pairs or more.

Next up was the pedestrian bridge to First Avenue. But soon, the
panhandlers filled in along First and Second avenues.

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Next, I tried the new pedestrian walkway from the ferry terminal,
exiting onto Yesler Way. Within seven minutes, I was at the light-rail
station.

This route skirted the edge of Pioneer Square. Anyone paying attention
to news or who is observant need not be reminded of potential hazards
skirting Pioneer Square. But I nevertheless took this route until the
pandemic shut down my travel.

Still, the plethora of homeless people, the mini-tent cities and the
crime rate of Pioneer Square even then made it uncomfortable and
possibly unsafe to walk from the Pioneer Square Station to the ferry on
my returns, especially after dark.

Now, my travels have resumed. But use of light rail has not. The last
time I drove by the Yesler Way entrance, there were five homeless
persons loitering, which would have required running a gauntlet. No
thank you.

This Op-Ed is not about denigrating those who are homeless. Their plight
is real. No, this is about the city of Seattle’s refusal to make the
city safe, or even feel safe, not only for people transiting even a few
blocks but for the city council’s own constituency. When the King County
sheriff and county judges told their staffs to stay home rather than
work in their courthouse offices, this should have been a wake-up call
for the mayor and city council. When safety is a predominate concern to
avoid even getting to public transportation (created and operated with
taxpayer dollars), when is the city of Seattle going to do something
about the problem? Rhetoric doesn’t cut it.

I’ve talked with many ferry riders who no longer feel safe commuting to
downtown and walking to their offices, restaurants, Pike Place Market or
other businesses whose tax dollars and revenue support city government.

The first duty of government is safety for its citizens. Yes, safety
comes in many forms, including solving homelessness. But Seattle is
failing miserably on all counts.

Scott Hamilton has been in commercial aviation for 42 years. He
currently is managing director of Leeham Co., an aviation consulting
firm on Bainbridge Island.

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