The following is an email I sent this morning to the Tacoma City Council regarding Resolution 37342 before them tonight regarding the Sound Transit plans for expanding the Sounder to Lakewood through SoDo.

Mayor and City Council Members:

Please submit these comments into the public record regarding the vote on Resolution No. 37342.

As an employee that works in the area immediately surrounding the area around the proposed Sounder overpass and as someone who cares greatly about the future of the Dome District and South Downtown Tacoma I urge you not to support this resolution. I was at a meeting in the summer of 2006 where they presented plans that included the overpass option over Pacific Ave. Despite over a year vetting ideas, Sound Transit hasn't presented anything new to the citizens of Tacoma. I don't think such a major change to the layout creating new walls of concrete jutting up from the landscape and blocking minor yet important nearby roads is justified nor do I think anyone in Tacoma should just settle and believe this is as good as we'll get. Please don't disregard the possibility of great things for this area of downtown by allowing barriers like this project as it's currently proposed to be built. Let's be proud of our City and make it clear to Sound Transit that if a less intrusive option for the Sounder is needed and it costs more money that we're worth it.

With kind regards,

Kevin Freitas