The Alaskan Way Viaduct Stakeholders Advisory Committee focused on the next two building blocks toward a solution for the central waterfront structure: transit and public policy.

They scheduled an extra half an hour for this fourth meeting last Thursday to allow the committee members time after the presentations for comments, feedback, and requests for more information.

Victor Obeso from King County presented on transit improvements, and Bonnie Nelson of Nelson-Nygaard talked about policies, management and land use - both strategies that can reduce traffic using whatever new structure replaces the central waterfront portion of the viaduct.

Obeso, manager for Metro service development, said ridership increases with better connections between different transit systems, and when routes are quick, dependable, and managed for better efficiency.

"They're simple concepts, really," Obeso said. "Provide capacity, keep it reliable, and make it as attractive as driving your automobile."

Transit ridership has been increasing in Seattle. The 2000 Census showed 36.8 percent of commuters taking the bus to work. Though it's not close to lower Manhattan with 75.3 percent of commuters using transit, Obeso said he expects Seattle could improve to levels like those of San Francisco and Boston, with 49.5 percent and 54.6 percent.

Already King County is working on a dedicated, faster bus service called RapidRide. In West Seattle, it will follow the No. 54 Metro bus route, and in Ballard on 15th Avenue Northwest. As well, the King Count y Ferry District will expand Water Taxi service to year round and support a passenger ferry from Vashon to downtown.

Obeso said the future could include a surface light rail to West Seattle via the Sodo busway or on First Avenue South, light rail to Ballard on 15th, or extending the streetcar from South Lake Union up Westlake to Fremont.

Simpler changes could include transit-only lanes on 15th, and on avenues between Spokane Street and downtown.

"Losing parking really hurts small merchants," said Mary Hurley, a committee member representing Ballard and Fremont. "During peak hours, we understand, but when it's all day, it means we lose customers."

"We're working with (the Seattle Department of Transportation) and businesses to find what works best," Obeso said.

The second presentation was by Bonnie Nelson, a founding partner of Nelson-Nygaard Consulting in San Francisco, specializing in planning multi-modal transportation systems.

"Parking is a traffic magnet," she said. Reducing the amount of parking downtown reduces the amount of traffic as people find other ways of getting there or deciding not to go at all.

She suggests companies "cash out" their downtown employees, giving them each a raise of a hundred dollars, but charging the same for what had been "free" parking. Other cities found most workers buy bus passes and pocket the difference.

Subsidizing passes also reduces traffic. In the first year the University of Washington gave U-Passes to students and employees, car usage decreased by 10 percent and bus ridership increased 12.

Changes in policies of land use can also decrease traffic.

"The single most effective way to get people out of their cars is through dense, multi-use residential development," said Nelson. "People will walk to the corner store for milk, but they need to have a market there."

Density doesn't have to be stories of apartments and condominiums, she said, but can be done with single-family homes. Studies show the largest reduction in traffic came from areas with only 15 to 35 units per acre.

Nelson cited Vancouver, B.C., and Arlington, Va. as cities that accommodated increases in population without increases in freeway traffic. In fact, there are no downtown freeways in Vancouver.

Tolling can also decrease traffic, by raising revenue to build more roads or by making it too expensive to drive. Cordon tolling - when drivers pay to enter an area of a downtown - has reduced traffic, sped up deliveries and increased transit use in London, Singapore and Stockholm.

"What did it take to start tolling in those cities?" asked Jim O'Halloran, the representative for Northeast Seattle. "Some crisis? Or political courage?"

"They needed someone to see why it was important," said Nelson. "And to show it's in their economic self-interest."

The next meeting of the advisory committee is April 24. The committee has scheduled an extra half hour, plus another meeting May 8, to discuss alternative structures to replace the viaduct itself.

Three open houses for public comment are scheduled for May.

Matthew G. Miller may be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com.