HomeMy WebLinkAbout3217 RESOLUTION N. 3 2 17
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON,
RELATING THE CITY'S CONCERNS OVER THE INADEQUACY OF THE WHITE
RIVER AMPHITHEATER TRAFFIC MITIGATION PLAN AND STATING THE CITY'S
POSITION THAT IT WILL NOT PERMIT THE CLOSURE OF CITY STREETS OR
CHANGES IN SIGNAL TIMING.
WHEREAS, the Muckleshoot Tribe is planning to proceed with
development of the 20,000 seat White River Amphitheatre on a site located
approximately 8 miles east of the City on SR 164; and
WHEREAS; SR 164/Auburn Way South through the City of Auburn will be
the primary access to the Amphitheatre; and
WHEREAS, SR 164/Auburn Way South presently operates at poor levels
of service, has capacity-related issues and numerous concerns over safety; and
WHEREAS, SR 18 presently experiences traffic backups onto the
mainline at the Auburn Way exit at the PM Peak Hour; and
WHEREAS, the White River Amphitheatre Draft Environmental Impact
Study (DEIS) contains a traffic analysis that assumes virtually all of the traffic will
arrive outside the PM Peak Hour because of the 8PM start time for concerts.
This ignores the fact that the lack of assigned seating thus on a first come first
seated basis will likely cause traffic delays in reaching the site during the PM
Peak Hour. Whereas the DEIS traffic analysis ignores arrival data for other large
Resolution 3217
April 26, 2000
Page I
regional venues such as Safeco Field, Concerts on the Pier and the Gorge,
which indicate that arrival times during the PM Peak Hour are likely and will
compound an already significant congestion problem; and
WHEREAS, the White River Amphitheatre Environmental Impact Study
(EIS) proposes no mitigation in the form of significant improvements to area
highways and roads; and
WHEREAS, the Traffic Mitigation Plan is based, in part on the periodic
closure of 6th Street SE and changes to signal timing at the SR18/Auburn Way
interchange and elsewhere along Auburn Way, that would give priority to
Amphitheatre patrons while compromising access for Auburn residents,
businesses and emergency services; and
WHEREAS, the closure of 6th Street SE is likely to result in large volumes
of Amphitheatre-bound traffic deviating through Auburn residential
neighborhoods especially along 12th Street SE and 17th Street SE.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY OF AUBURN
REGISTERS IT'S CONCERNS OVER THE INADEQUACY OF THE WHITE
RIVER AMPHITHEATRE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN AND FURTHER
STATES THE CITY'S POSITION THAT IT WILL NOT PERMIT THE CLOSURE
OF CITY STREETS OR CHANGES IN SIGNAL TIMING THAT WILL
Resolution 3217
April 26, 2000
Page 2
COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OR REASONABLE TRAFFIC CIRCULATION OF
CITY OF AUBURN RESIDENTS.
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Auburn, King County,
Washington, takes an official position in opposition to the closure of city streets or
to changes in signal timing.
DATED and SIGNED this ] ~'' day of May, 2000.
CITY OF AUBURN
CHARLES A. BOOTH
MAYOR
A"I'FEST:
Dar~ielle E. Daskam,
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Michael J. Reynolds,
City Attorney
Resolution 3217
April 26, 2000
Page 3