Leslie Bloss, Seattle Real Estate Professional

The BRIO Realty office is merging with Realty Executives at the Bridle Trails offices. This is a big change for us and it looks like it will be a good move for all involved. We will be having a "big name" now which is definitely a plus along with many other advantages. I will still be working out of my home covering the Seattle areas as usual along with Magnolia.

Besides the Broker, Ken Bell (that we hear great things about) there is an agent named Patricia Love that works here. She is the reason I started in real estate and she sold two houses for me. When she gave a glowing report about Ken Bell I was convinced to join.

The members of both offices met each other today and had a great lunch and conversation. Now comes new signage, business cards, name tags and logos.

Queen Anne, Magnolia, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

I have frequently written posts about the Washington Policy Center's work. I get a copy of their newsletter and in the latest one their article on Citizen's Guide to Initiative 985 (pdf file) particularly interests me--traffic congestion has been a big issue for me in my campaign for State House Rep. in the 36th District.

This Initiative is Tim Eyman's work "Reduce Traffic Congestion Act of 2008." "It is an effort to implement some of the recommendations made in a recent performance audit conducted by the Washington State Auditor's Office (SAO)." I have not always been in favor of Tim Eyman's initiatives, but in this case I am.

My campaign website is: www.blossforthe36th.com

Queen Anne, Magnolia, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

I lost my race but it was such a worth-while experience. I learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and hearing their stories. I have learned that one person can make a difference and that we should follow our passion. I will be keeping my hand in politics and lend support for issues that I feel are important. I will say that many of the skills it takes to be a good real estate agent are the same for an elected official.

I haven't been completely out of real estate during my campaign and name recognition is something I now have in my district. I will now focus on helping people buy and sell homes which is also great fun for me.

Queen Anne, Magnolia, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

Today, I spoke with Nick Licata of the Seattle City Council. He is the one lone member of the Seattle City Council that is being vocal about what a bad idea the proposed fix for Mercer Street that Mayor Nickels has been pushing. I called him to tell him that I think there should be a State Referendum on the ballot. I need to do some research regarding that.

Anyway, Councilman Licata had some information sent to me regarding the streetcar network and the Mercer Project and some information on forums that will be coming up soon. He'll be speaking at the Fremont Chamber of Commerce meeting at noon on the 16th.

Below are the dates of the forums, and the link to the news release:

Tuesday, July 8th - Proposed Ballard/Fremont Line at Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67 Street, 4-6pm

Wednesday, July 9th - Proposed U-District Line at University Heights Center, 5031 University Way NE, 4-6pm

Tuesday, July 15th - Proposed First Hill Line at Yesler Community Center, 917 E. Yesler Way, 4-6pm

http://www.seattle.gov/council/newsdetail.asp?ID=8599&Dept=28

The following is an email that Councilman Licata is sending out to Ballard and Crown Hill folks regarding the streetcar network:

Streetcar Network Forum Tuesday, July 8 4-6 p.m. Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 56th

I am e-mailing you as a resident or business owner in Ballard, Crown Hill, and nearby areas regarding the potential for a streetcar network in Seattle, how that might be funded, and how it might affect bus service in your neighborhood on routes 17, 18 and 28.

City Councilmember Jan Drago will be hosting a forum on a potential Fremont-Ballard Streetcar line on Tuesday, July 8 at the Nordic Heritage Museum.

The Seattle Department of Transportation is proposing a potential Fremont-Ballard Streetcar line that would run along from Downtown on Westlake to the Fremont Bridge, then over the bridge to 36th, then head westbound on 36th and Leary Way NW, then turn onto NW 46th, on to either Leary Way or Ballard Avenue, with a turnback adjacent to the Ballard Commons at 22nd NW and NW 57th.

Cost: the estimated cost of the line is $135 million. As with the South Lake Union Streetcar, likely around ½ the cost would be funded by nearby property owners. In order to fund 50% of construction, property owners near this line would need to pay approximately 2.2% of the assessed value of their property. For a $300,000 property, this would total $6,600.

The estimated annual O&M cost is $5.4 million. In order to fund operations, the Network Development Report proposes cuts in Metro service that could affect bus lines 17, 18 and 28.

There are no specifics at this point, but the preliminary operating cost summary assumed that 14,000 of the 80,000 hours in bus service on these lines would be cut. Any streetcar replacement would likely provide fewer hours of service, because streetcars cost 50% more to operate than a Metro bus. On the South Lake Union Streetcar, around 11,000 hours of service are provided at a cost of $2 million annually. 16,500 bus hours could be provided at the same cost.

As a Ballard/Crown Hill area resident, I thought you would be interested in knowing about this meeting, and encourage you to attend, find out more, and express your opinion.

I am going to post three attachments from him on my other blog: “Mercer Project Environmental Assessment Transportation Report , Summary of Key Points;” Letters to the Seattle Community Council from the Queen Anne Community Council and the Magnolia Community Club discussing their opposition to the 2-Way Mercer Transportation Project; and “STREETCARS AND MEETING SEATTLE’S TRANSIT NEEDS,” by Council Member Nick Licata

Blossforthe36th.com is the link to my campaign website and the campaign blog is: http://emeraldcitytalk.com/wordpress/

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

P.S. The picture is of Collin my youngest grandchild born December 17, 2007.

Some of you may have not kept up-to-date on what is being planned for the Aurora Bridge. WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) is planning a fence to line the Aurora Bridge. “The Washington State Legislature approved design funding for the Aurora Bridge fence project in the 2008 legislative session. Design work is under way on the fence, with construction starting in spring 2010.”

You may be wondering “why?” Since its construction, in 1931, the Aurora Bridge has been used by approximately 250 people to attempt suicide. Unfortunately, few of them realize Aurora is over nearly as much ground as water – and more and more people work, live or simply travel beneath the bridge.

The group “Seattle F.R.I.E.N.D.S.” organized to get a safety barrier constructed on Aurora to keep the people beneath the bridge safe as well as the folks attempting to jump to their deaths. The Seattle F.R.I.E.N.D.S. web site has links to three studies that show barriers do deter suicides.

When the Aurora Bridge was built, over 75 years ago, perhaps 100 people lived and worked beneath it. In late 2008, another office building standing in the shadow of the bridge will finish construction and bring the number of people living and working beneath Aurora closer to 2,000. Several residents and employees have spoken with horror about encountering a death, of the trauma of being witness to a jump. So far though, many people feel fortunate – no one has been physically hurt or killed by a body falling from the bridge deck.

Other options have been considered instead of a barrier, or fence.

A safety net slung beneath the bridge, to catch jumpers, would cost similar to a barrier in construction, according to Washington State Department Of Transportation (WSDOT) estimates, but more in maintenance, cleaning (as it would catch litter) and frequent replacement.

Removal of pedestrian/bike access on the bridge was the first consideration of Seattle F.R.I.E.N.D.S., and it was quickly removed from the table. Both the City of Seattle and WSDOT have gone on the record stating their absolute determination to maintain all forms of transportation on the bridge. WSDOT analysis has shown sidewalk removal could lead bicyclists to use the vehicular surface, which could lead to an entirely new form of tragedy. Finally, this option does not deter those contemplating suicide from driving onto the bridge deck and pulling over.

The option of an enclosed walkway underneath Bridge, running the half-mile of the bridge surface and attached beneath it, was proposed in 2002. The project came estimated at $29 million, which today works out closer to $50 million. Representatives from FRIENDS have voiced safety concerns about an enclosed structure with limited access, where crime could breed.

A barrier built onto the historic structure won’t meet approval of all. The bridge is owned by Washington State and falls under management of WSDOT. However, the City of Seattle held a public workshop and design open house to discuss design issues. They’ve also done extensive outreach, to try to provide a platform for concerns among those who live and work closest to the bridge.

Many hold concerns about the historical nature of the bridge. The bridge structure is on the National Register of Historic Places, the Washington Heritage Register and is a designated landmark by the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. Design of a barrier within these guidelines, and one that neither detracts nor overwhelms the existing structure isn’t going to be easy to do.

Without a final design, barrier construction is estimated at $4.3 million. That price includes physical costs, traffic control, permits (including those needed to make changes to a historic structure) and design. In March 2008, the State of Washington House and Senates passed a transportation budget that included $1.6 million dollars of this money, as authorized by Governor Christine Gregoire, to begin design and construction.

A very good article about this was written entitled "A matter of life and death" VIEW FROM THE KIRB/Kirby Lindsay 01/24/2008 for the Pacific Publishing Company.

For more information, check out www.seattlefriends.org., or check their MySpace and facebook pages. Also, you can read more about the issue from under the bridge at http://www.pacificpublishingcompany.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19228896&BRD=855&PAG=461&dept_id=517907&rfi=8 And WSDOT Projects has information on their website.

Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

Hey, Did you know my grandmother is running for WA State Rep.?

Blossforthe36th.com is the link to my campaign website and the campaign blog is: http://emeraldcitytalk.com/wordpress/