TagHighline Forum(225)
https://www.portseattle.org/page/highline-forum
The Highline Forum provides Southwest King County municipalities, educational governing bodies, and the Port of Seattle with the opportunity to share information, interact with outside speakers and other governmental organizations, and work in partnership on initiatives that benefit the residents of Southwest King County.
One elected representative and one senior administrator from the following jurisdictions or institutions make up the membership of the Highline Forum:
- City of Burien — Councilmember Alex Andrade and City Manager Adolfo Bailon
- City of Des Moines — Mayor Yoshiko Grace Matsui and City Manager Katherine Caffrey
- City of Federal Way — Mayor Jim Ferrell and Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson
- City of Normandy Park — Councilmember Jack Lamanna and City Manager Amy Arrington
- City of SeaTac — Councilmember Joe Vinson and City Manager Jonathan Young
- City of Tukwila — Councilmember Armen Papyan and Policy Analyst Laurel Humphrey
- Highline College — Vice President for Institutional Advancement Josh Gerstman and External Relations Shakira Ericksen
- Highline School District — School Board Member Angelica Alvarez and Superintendent Dr. Ivan Duran
- Port of Seattle — Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed and Aviation Managing Director Wendy Reiter
An elected representative from the Port of Seattle (Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed) and a jurisdiction or institution co-chair (shared by Tukwila Council President Armen Papyan and SeaTac Councilmember Joe Vinson) moderate the meetings.
Learn more about the Highline Forum and what’s ahead this year.
Sign up to receive Highline Forum updates by email, including meeting agendas and summ
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2021-01-01City of Tukwila and City of SeaTac 2021 state legislative agenda
The cities of Tukwila and SeaTac each published 2021 state legislative agendas addressing local infrastructure, public health, and community needs near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. SeaTac's priorities notably include advocating for full funding of SR 509 and SR 518 transportation improvements through the Puget Sound Gateway project, which is directly tied to airport-related regional traffic, as well as supporting a University of Washington indoor air quality study near the airport to recommend health protections for local residents. Tukwila's agenda focuses more broadly on housing, racial equity, broadband access, law enforcement reform, and stable infrastructure funding from the state. -
2020-11-18Highline Forum agenda: Transportation updates, StART & South King County Fund updates
The Highline Forum held a virtual meeting on November 18, 2020, hosted by the City of Burien, focusing on transportation updates including Sound Transit, the SR 509 highway project, the South King County Fund, and the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Round Table) program. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, the meeting was conducted via Microsoft Teams, with public comments accepted by email or virtual attendance. The document also lists six scheduled 2021 Highline Forum meetings, all running from 2:30–4:30 pm on bimonthly Wednesdays throughout the year. -
2020-11-18Puget Sound Gateway Program SR 509 Completion Project: Highline Forum Presentation
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) presented the Puget Sound Gateway Program to the Highline Forum in November 2020, outlining plans to complete SR 509 in King County and SR 167 in Pierce County. The SR 509 project includes creating a new south access point to Sea-Tac Airport, improving freight connections to the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, and reducing congestion on local roads. The program also proposes tolling as a tool for sustainable congestion management. -
2020-11-18Highline Forum: Sound Transit Presentation by CEO Peter Rogoff
Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff presented to the Highline Forum in November 2020, outlining multiple light rail extensions under construction across the greater Seattle region. A key highlight for the Sea-Tac area is the Federal Way Link Extension, a 7.8-mile line with three new stations scheduled to open in 2024, which will connect the Federal Way Transit Center to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in approximately 15 minutes. -
2020-09-23South King County Fund – Highline Forum presentation, September 23, 2020
The Port of Seattle's South King County Fund 2020 presentation, delivered at the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, outlines a grant program distributing $1.5 million to communities near Sea-Tac Airport, including $250,000 each for Economic Development and Environmental Grants, plus $1 million in Economic Recovery Grants. The program was developed through extensive community outreach, including presentations to six cities, feedback sessions at the Highline Forum and StART, and interviews with dozens of leaders from under-represented communities conducted by the Port's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. -
2020-09-23Highline Forum 9/23/20 Meeting Comments
A community member submitted comments to the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, criticizing the PSRC Regional Aviation Baseline Study for failing to address social equity, environmental justice, carbon emissions, and impacts on non-aviation transportation. The commenter also challenged the Port's Environmental Excellence Awards, arguing that recognizing minor reductions like eliminating plastic straws is insignificant compared to the much larger carbon emissions produced by jet fuel during flights. The comments call on regional government agencies to align their aviation planning and recognition programs with meaningful climate and environmental justice goals. -
2020-09-23Highline Forum Agenda: PSRC Aviation Baseline Study, StART & Noise Program Updates
The Highline Forum held its September 23, 2020 meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams, hosted by the Port of Seattle, covering key topics including the PSRC Aviation Baseline Study, temporary noise monitor updates, and a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) program update. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, members of the public could submit comments by email or join the MS Teams session by registering in advance. The meeting was part of a series of 2020 forums addressing aviation noise policy and community impact around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. -
2020-09-23Rising to recovery
A September 2020 presentation by Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins outlines the severe financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Port's operations, including a 75% drop in airport passengers, a 17% decline in seaport cargo activity, and a complete 100% halt in cruise traffic compared to July 2019. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was projected to handle only around 20 million passengers in 2020, down sharply from a record 51.8 million in 2019. The presentation also provides historical context by comparing the 2020 downturn to previous industry shocks such as the 9/11 attacks and the Great Recession, both of which the airport ultimately recovered from. -
2020-09-22Highline Forum Public Comment by Bernedine Lund on Aircraft Emissions and Sea-Tac Airport
At a September 2020 Highline Forum meeting, Federal Way resident Bernedine Lund argued that Sea-Tac Airport and the FAA are misleading the public about aircraft emissions by only measuring fuel use during takeoff and landing, while ignoring the far larger greenhouse gas output of full flights. She called on the Port and FAA to be transparent about the total global climate impact of aircraft using Sea-Tac. Her comments emphasized that environmental responsibility must extend beyond airport-specific operations to include the aircraft themselves. -
2020-09-20Regional Aviation Baseline Study
The Regional Aviation Baseline Study, produced by the Puget Sound Regional Council, examines the current state and future challenges of aviation in the Puget Sound region, covering scenario development, airport analysis, and public engagement. The study highlights near-term disruptions to air travel, noting that passenger volume at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dropped to just 27% of normal levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, with daily travelers falling to 17,200 and aircraft operations declining from 1,160 to 840 takeoffs and landings per day. The findings provide a foundation for regional planning decisions related to airport capacity, operations, and policy.