Seattle Transportation Committee Meeting - August 6, 2026
Seattle City Council Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee Meeting - August 6, 2026
The Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee met on August 6, 2026, from 9:32 a.m. to 11:05 a.m. in Council Chamber. Chair Rob Saka presided with Vice Chair Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Member Eddie Lin present; Members Dionne Foster and Robert Kettle were excused. The committee considered seven appointments, one briefing, and one alley vacation modification, all passing unanimously 3-0. Chair Saka opened with remarks on the July 26th Seattle Center shooting, praising first responders while noting deficiencies in emergency notification and public information.
Consent Calendar
- None; all items were individually voted.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Gina Carabah (20-year Pike Place Market vendor, accessibility committee) expressed support for a shuttle connecting stadiums, Pioneer Square, the Market, and possibly the Space Needle, citing accessibility challenges and high Uber costs.
- Clive Hayward (performer, 11 years on waterfront) opposed the six free-speech box system, calling it broken and unconstitutional. He stated that performers are excluded or criminally trespassed, that the system was built without performer input, and that security has physically assaulted him. He referenced Ninth Circuit precedent and unfiled claims.
Discussion Items
- Appointments to Central Waterfront Oversight Committee (Items 1-2): Tiffani Melake presented Benjamin Cohen (Seattle Marriott Waterfront, 20+ years in hospitality) and Efrem Fesaha (founder of Boonabuna Cafe, mission-driven entrepreneur). Chair Saka noted both are exceptionally qualified and met with Fesaha. Vote: 3-0 to recommend confirmation.
- Appointments to Seattle Center Advisory Commission (Items 3-7): Randy Engstrom presented two new members (Michael Johnson, director of park experience at Friends of Waterfront Park; Ashley McClaran, capital program advisor and parent) and three reappointments (Eric Berlinberg, John Olensky, Sarah C. Rich). Michael Johnson and Commission Chair Mark Dieterer spoke in person. Discussion centered on the commission’s role in the upcoming capital bond and campus modernization, including infrastructure and safety. Vote: 3-0 to recommend confirmation.
- Overview of Waterfront Park (Item 8): Tiffani Melake provided a briefing on park operations. Key data: removal of 600+ graffiti tags in 2025 and 528 in 2026 (mostly benign); 2,885 total public safety incidents in 2025, with less than 2% escalating to police/fire; a four-tier public safety model (social services, ambassadors, ESU, SPD). The park hosted over 100,000 visitors on July 6 for World Cup and 85,000 on June 19. Discussion included the six designated expression zones and temporary zones added for high demand, with Chair Saka asking for objective evaluation criteria and Vice Chair Rinck and Councilmember Lin pressing for performer feedback and First Amendment protections. Chair Saka also raised amplified noise concerns. No vote was taken.
- Swedish Health Services Alley Vacation Modification (Item 9): Council Central Staff Rebeccah Maskin presented a request to modify conditions of a 2016 alley vacation (CF 314304) that was extended to 2029 (CF 314477). Swedish requested flexibility due to cost overruns on the Hughes Tower ($1.4B vs. original $1.2B), which delayed Block 95 development. The modification would tie the vacation to the major institution master plan and allow public benefits to be delivered sooner. SDOT expressed support. Dr. Elizabeth Waco (CEO) and Andrew Davis (real estate lead) explained the capital constraints and commitment to community benefits. Vote: 3-0 to recommend the modified conditions.
Key Outcomes
- Approved appointments (3-0): Benjamin Cohen and Efrem Fesaha to Central Waterfront Oversight Committee; Michael Johnson, Ashley McClaran, Eric Berlinberg, John Olensky, and Sarah C. Rich to Seattle Center Advisory Commission. Recommendations go to the August 11, 2026 City Council meeting.
- Approved alley vacation modification (3-0): Granted revised conditions allowing Swedish to delay Block 95 construction while maintaining public benefits, tied to the First Hill major institution master plan. Recommendation goes to the August 11 City Council meeting.
- No action was taken on the Waterfront Park overview, but performance zones and enforcement will be discussed further offline.
- The next committee meeting is scheduled for August 20, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The August 6th, 2026 meeting of the Safety Transportation Engineering Project Sports and Experiences Committee will come to order. Formerly known as Transportation Waterfront and Seattle Center Committee. It is a 9 32 a.m. I am Rob Saka, Chair of the Committee. Will the committee clerk please call the role? Councilmember Foster. Councilmember Kettle. Councilmember Lynn here. Vice Chair Rank. Here. Chair Saka. Chair, there are three members present. Thank you. Let the record reflect that Councilmember Foster is excused. And Councilmember Kettle is excused until he arrives. All right, if there is no objection, the agenda will be adopted. Hearing and seeing no objection, the agenda is hereby adopted. All right, good morning again, colleagues, members of the public. Welcome. Thank you for joining us at today's meeting. Before we get started today, I do want to share a few thoughts on the recent tragedy that occurred on Sunday, July 26th at the Seattle Center. Lives were senselessly lost, and innocent people who simply wanted to enjoy a food festival were forever traumatized and impacted. In the aftermath, we saw both the best and worst of our city. Brave police officers, first responders, firefighters, uh care department call center operators immediately responded. And SPD apprehended a suspect and further and ultimately prevented further violence. Firefighters and paramedics risked their own safety to treat victims. Shopkeepers and vendors offered shelter to attendees who didn't know what was happening. And we've also seen the best of community as well. Kudos to Amazon for their $350,000 investment to support some of the food vendors in recovery from in the aftermath of those events. For example, Alert Seattle, our city's official emergency notification system was not used. Initial information released to the public was inaccurate and not timely. And the press conference was held five hours after the shooting. The public was left in the dark. Later that week, of course, Chief Barnes resigned at the request of Mayor Wilson. My colleagues on the city council and I learned of this through local media. Most of us. Both essential bodies that help steward some of Seattle's most significant public spaces. Now, as you know, the City of Seattle's boards and commissions play a vital role in our civic governance. They harness the expertise and lived experiences of dedicated community volunteers appointed by the mayor and city council to ensure that our policies and programs reflect diverse perspectives and informed community-driven input. Their work strengthens transparency, accountability, and collaboration across departments and partners citywide. The Central Waterfront Oversight Committee and the Seattle Center Advisory Commission in particular demonstrate just how impactful these bodies can truly be. They serve as conduits for community concerns, help us oversee public investments, and provide valuable guidance to keep our civic and cultural assets thriving. Our committee's role in reviewing these nominees is an essential step in confirming that these advisory bodies have the expertise, capacity, and diversity of perspectives needed to effectively serve and represent Seattle well. After we complete our review and consideration of these appointments, we'll receive an overview presentation on Waterfront Park. Uh a new ish or newer addition to the purview and scope of this committee earlier this year after we revised and restructured our committee assignments. So excited to have the opportunity to hear directly from our partners at the waterfront, and I anticipate this will be the first of many updates we'll receive from our partners at Waterfront on his critical work as it continues to evolve. Finally, the everyday ordinary course of business. This is an important item that requires careful consideration, and I appreciate everyone's engagement as we move through it. All right.
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