Lid I-5

Friends,

A huge thank you for attending Wednesday’s Convention Center Addition public benefit event. We were impressed by your enthusiasm, your knowledge, and your support in moving this campaign forward. The turnout was excellent and we saw many connections between Lid I-5 and the other community proposals on the table. We also heard your suggestions for refinement to our message and strategy as we move forward.

Comment Opportunity

If you could not attend or didn’t see all of the proposals, please provide your feedback at the online open house here: http://wsccadditionopenhouse.com/#/

We suggest language such as:

“The Lid I-5 feasibility study is critical to reconnecting Seattle’s urban core to surrounding neighborhoods, improving air quality, providing new public space for all residents, and creating sites for much needed affordable housing. Though not a traditional ‘physical benefit’, the study and its future implementation will lay the foundation and build upon the laudable benefits other community groups, SDOT, and the Convention Center are proposing. Please fund the full cost of the feasibility study, estimated to require $1 million or more, to ensure a healthy and prosperous future for Seattle’s most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods”.

Even if you did attend, additional support for the lid study and the other excellent benefit proposals is needed to ensure everything gets funded. Improvements for streets, parks, and affordable housing is critically needed for our growing neighborhoods. Spread the word and share the online open house with friends and family.

How You Can Help

We are a volunteer-run campaign and depend on your financial support to operate. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, the Seattle Parks Foundation: https://www.seattleparksfoundation.org/project/lid-i-5/

We recommend a minimum donation of $50. Your contribution will go towards event planning, promotional materials, website hosting, and retaining a professional public affairs consultant. Our effectiveness has been demonstrated through our successful Spring 2016 charrette, changes to the Comprehensive Plan, and the City’s adoption of our concept for constructing a lid at Pine Street and Boren Avenue.

We also have a $10,000 matching grant opportunity offered by a Capitol Hill resident. If you or your employer are interested in matching this amount please contact us by replying to this email.

Follow Us

We are on Facebook and you can tag us on Twitter with the hashtag #lidi5.

Next Steps

We’ll be taking a break over the holidays, but expect to hear from us in January about the next stage in our advocacy. We have tentative plans for an additional public charrette, walking tours, and will need your help in ensuring the City Council passes the largest public benefit package possible next year. Critically, the package must include the lid feasibility study.

In the meantime, you can continue sharing our work and talking about the possibilities of lidding I-5 with your colleagues and neighbors. Please get in touch if you have any questions, and happy holidays!