Comments on: Way Off

By: andrew

andrew — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:30:33 +0000

I heard that in line at the place. The guy could have been wrong. I guess they already have one down Broadway on First Hill.

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:24:49 +0000

Where did you hear that the Piroshky place is staying on Broadway? Last I heard, they were likely moving downtown.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:15:47 +0000

I once saw a naked girl on the cover and picked one up, but then I put it back down when I realized it wasn’t the stranger.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:30:16 +0000

Yeah seriously, Nearly every business on the block has found a replacement property. The Everyday music moved a block and a half south to the corner of pine and broadway. The Twice Sold Tales moved a block west to Olive and Harvard. The Piroshky spot is moving up broadway, and the Vivace coffee is moving into the “blix” apartment building up on Mercer.

So it’s not like all these shops were disappeared.

By: AJ

AJ — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:36:25 +0000

Yes, there are still racists sexists and homophobes in Seattle, believe it or not.

By: andrew cencini

andrew cencini — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:16:40 +0000

people still read seattle weekly?

By: AJ

AJ — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:19:47 +0000

This.

Although I have to add that while I don’t think it is a boondoggle, listening to such an argument is hilarious. You destroy capitol hill with your tunnels and light rail station entrances! Where will American Apparel go? WHY DO YOU WANT TO PUT JACK IN THE BOX OUT OF BUSINESS, SOUND TRANSIT? WHY?!

By: Ben Schiendelman

Ben Schiendelman — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:21:12 +0000

Why do you think the Capitol Hill tunnel is a boondoggle?

Yes, the numbers look big. You can pretty easily say “Oh my god, 1.7 billion dollars, and it’s SO SHORT!”

The most conservative federal ridership models show that Central Link, what we’re building now, will carry some 45,000 riders per day in 2020. It cost us some $2.4 billion, and it’s certainly not a boondoggle – it looks like we both agree there.

University Link, in its 3.15 miles, will add 70,000 riders per day to that number. That’s more riders for less money. In fact, it’s so many more riders for so much less money that the federal transit administration says it’s one of the most cost effective projects they’ve seen proposed in a quarter century – which is why they’re awarding us a $750 million grant to help build it.

So no, University Link is absolutely not “clearly” a boondoggle, by any measure except for “that’s a really big number and I don’t know what it means”. In fact, it could be the most cost effective rail project you’ll ever use.

And those trains, in that Capitol Hill Boondoggle, will eventually run every two minutes, at 55mph. I wouldn’t try driving between them.

By: John Roderick

John Roderick — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:50:29 +0000

I’m pleased that my column has generated such an emotional response from the transit-fan community. Let me say right off that I’m a light-rail supporter and am delighted by trolleys and trains of every sort. I’m also predominantly a humor columnist, and as such my facts and figures were completely made-up, at four AM, and do not purport to be accurate or useful.

That said, the Capitol Hill light-rail tunnel is clearly a boondoggle.

sincerely,
JR

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:31:17 +0000

I guess he assume’s portland max is better because it exists already.