How fast that development will come depends in part on a decision Puget Sound Transit will make early next year on location of its commuter light rail stations. Tukwila officials are pressing the regional transit authority to put a stop in the Southcenter area. They are fighting an alternative route that would put the Tukwila station in the Highway 99 area, which would be less costly and could be built more quickly. This area is totally oriented to the automobile and that is going to have to change. Police and city officials, meanwhile, say crime hasn't been a major problem in the area, despite the large number of people in the area every day.
Police mostly deal with shoplifters, car prowlers and people who pass bad checks.
Violent crimes were down 28 percent and robberies were down 40 percent in Tukwila last year. That was the case when the area was mostly farmland, too. But the one thing that is certain is that there won't be a return to the days when agriculture was king. People have kids, for crying out loud. Fabulous big city stuff.