Media invited to conference on development opportunities with transit

"The promise of transit oriented development in your community" is the title of the third annual conference on transit-oriented development sponsored by Sound Transit, the City of Seattle, King County Metro, the Puget Sound Regional Council, 1000 Friends of Washington, Fannie Mae and the Washington state chapter of the American Planning Association. The conference will be held on Friday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the W Hotel, 1124 4th Ave. (Fourth and Seneca) Seattle, WA.

More than 200 developers, financial industry officials, planners and community and civic leaders are already registered to attend the conference that will feature keynote comments from Sound Transit Boardmembers King County Executive Ron Sims and King County Councilwoman Cynthia Sullivan and Seattle Deputy Mayor Tom Byers. Along with numerous local and regional officials from both the private and public sector, national experts from San Francisco, Santa Clara Valley and the Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority will share their experience and success with the ability of transit systems to enhance communities and develop economic opportunities.

Media representatives are welcome to attend any part of the conference. For more information on the conference please contact Ken Roberston at Sound Transit, (206) 689-4920 or email at roberstonk@soundtransit.org

Voter-approved in 1996, Sound Transit is currently operating 13 limited-stop regional ST Express bus routes with five more scheduled to begin service within two years, and Sounder commuter rail service which inaugurated rush hour service between Tacoma and Seattle two weeks ago. In 2002, a 1.6-mile system Link light rail line will serve Tacoma and a 21-mile Link light rail line will begin service for Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac in 2006/2007.

For more information please visit the Sound Transit Web site at www.soundtransit.org/, or call or write for more information at Sound Transit, Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 398-5000 or 1-800-201-4900.

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Sound Transit plans, builds and operates regional transit systems and services to improve mobility for Central Puget Sound.