November 8, 2010

Letter to the Editor: Public art enhances regional rail projects

Thank you for reporting about the Sound Transit Board's decision to maintain current funding levels for the STart Public Art Program (Nov. 1, DJC). As a longtime supporter of arts and heritage in our community, I am proud of Sound Transit's track record of utilizing one percent of construction costs to incorporate compelling public art into our community's regional transit system.

I introduced the resolution to the board to change the CEO's .75 percent recommendation and restore a full 1 percent for STart.

The projects Sound Transit is building in ST2 will be a part of our communities for generations to come, and I believe that we have only one chance to do this work right. Therefore, as Sound Transit deals with an upcoming budget shortfall, we may have to delay or eliminate some projects, but I believe that we must keep quality high on what we do build.

In many cases, art projects help integrate into neighborhoods some transit-related structures that would otherwise be obtrusive and unwelcome, including retaining walls, vent shafts and power stations.

Art projects also help mitigate impacts during construction, helping keep neighborhoods livable during construction and ensuring that what we leave behind is something people can be proud to live near long-term. Additionally, art helps reduce graffiti and promote a safe atmosphere at transit centers and stations.

I also had concerns about equity; it would not be fair to people south, north and east if the central portion of light rail is built to one standard and the future extensions are built to another, lesser standard.

For these reasons and more, I was proud to stand in support of maintaining Sound Transit's 1 percent for art, and I am glad we were successful in achieving this goal.

Larry Phillips

Sound Transit Boardmember

The Daily Journal of Commerce welcomes your comments.

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