Tunnel shows us we're not there yet on minority contracting

Commentary: Progress has been much too slow.

Sun, Feb 16, 8:07 a.m.

Final repair plans are weeks away, but the tunnel contractor is hoping to access and repair the machine's bearing seals from above ground.

Fri, Feb 7, 5:09 p.m.

The contractor on Seattle's deep bore tunnel says they've found another issue with the boring machine, which has been nearly-idle for 2-months. Cost? Time delay? Who can say?

Sometimes I think things have really changed in regard to minorities and opportunities in the business world. Then sometimes I think nothing has changed.

Take the recent report that the builders of the Highway 99 tunnel are accused of being in breach of contract because they have not offered enough contracts to women and minority firms, as required by federal law. Bertha may be stuck in the mud as it tries to dig the tunnel, but the Seattle Tunnel Contractors seem to be stuck in the past.

I feel so discouraged about it all because of my past reporting. I came to Seattle in mid-1967 and one of my first reporting assignments was to cover the civil rights beat. That included some interesting press conference with the local Black Panther group here, but one of the most dramatic issues I covered was the efforts of the Central Contractors Association.

What were they trying to do? Get more contracts for minority firms from public works projects in the region. Sounds familiar.

Part of my beat included Walt Hundley and the Seattle Model Cities Program, part of the War on Poverty. Hundley encouraged black contractors to organize to gain some of the lucrative contracts being offered at the time that required minority participation. A group was formed, the Central Contractors Association, and they selected Tyree Scott, an electrician, as their leader.

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Tunnel shows us we're not there yet on minority contracting