And all those trees that would be lost building light rail! 35 years ago I looked at a nice map of Seattle with copious ‘greenbelts’. When they started cutting down the greenbelt behind my house, I looked again, and noticed the fine print- proposed greenbelts.

In reality, of course, one light rail line carries the equivalent of twelve lanes of freeway, and you don’t need to build parking lots for the cars on the twelve lanes of freeway. In the history of argument, there has never been a more clearcut decision than building light rail if you want to save trees.

Why, of course, if someone would sell me a Honda 90 for $69 a year, I would be so there. Heck, I’m tuning up my old ten-speed now, because you’re never too old to be excruciatingly poor. But one thing you learn with aging is that the 15 years that seemed way too long when it lay in the future seems way too short when it lies in the past.

So when you tell me that I will pay $69 a year extra in taxes to lay rail across a lake, north to lynnwood, and south to Federal Way, I wonder just a little bit. That is real money you are talking about spending. To Sound Transit. Which promised rail from Northgate to Downtown last time, for much less money than they spent getting from the Airport to Downtown. You are talking about digging through various strata of clays and glacial till, not granite like NYC has. Big difference. That is why ST did not go to the University in ST1. They promised to, but could not contain costs as they had projected. I know, I know, it was not their fault, and they promise to be much better this time, but that is a simple child’s ploy, that only a fool falls for a second time.

And for all you “environmentalists” out there: how much earth will be dug, how many hours of earth moving equipment will be used, trees ripped out, concrete poured, air poisoned, etc, etc; so you can use this more “environmentally friendly” train in thirty years? And the way Microsoft has missed the internet revolution, how long until they are not such a big company in Redmond, that they need their own choo-choo? Monopolies only last so long, even in the USA.

Bloomberg rarely subways to work — it’s a publicity thing. To argue about the future of mass transit in our region based on how often our mayor does publicity transit runs is some mighty questionable logic.

Plenty of people who love their cars and the freedom that comes with it would be happy to get to work quicker and on a more reliable schedule by hopping on a train — that’s the option that light rail provides. Sure, they can drive where-ever the want when they get home — but I’m sure they’re currently not thinking very highly of their freedom when stuck in congestion on the 520 bridge that started at 3pm.

Building mass transit is less about transportation solutions than it is about creating jobs in government. And when the mayor says he can’t ride the bus because of “safety” concerns, that shows how undesirable riding the bus is for those who make high incomes. Do you really think that is going to change with the transportation module rides on steel wheels on rails, instead of rubber tires on a roadway?

Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, rides the subway. When Mayor Nickels starts to use the bus to get to-and-from work, you’ll a reason to get people to give mass transit some consideration. Until then, the market is always going to be the better way to figure out what we need in terms of transportation. And we know what most Americans prefer – and will continue to. It is some sort of individual transportation device that allows flexibility in terms of scheduling. Think autos, trucks, motorcycles, scooter, mopeds and yes, even skateboards.

Thanks for posting your comment, by the way!

You are your own worst enemy in arguing for things.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003710441_buses17m.html

He’s getting his buses, and his delay strategy regarding light rail will only cost those people he claims to worry about far more because of the added expense incurred by pushing everything out two more years.

Enough! We’ve had people tell us for years that we’ll get light rail in the future. At this point I’m doubtful we’ll get it in my lifetime!

Ron, you’ve got your buses – we want light rail, now.

LRT to Overlake via Bellevue increases service hours along that corridor — one of the most congested in the state and home of the most popular ST Express route (550). It increases reliability of cross-lake travel, adds additional capacity, and does so while cutting the route’s dependence on expensive, foreign oil.

In addition, the reach of the rail goes long beyond where the 550 ends — and connects Downtown Bellevue and the Bel-Red corridor (as well as all of Central Link, Mercer Island, and South Bellevue) directly to Overlake and to each other.

He advocates for short term investments in more buses now as opposed to long term investments in rail, but isn’t the short term bus investment exactly what he proposed, and the voters subsequently approved, just 1.5 years ago in the form of “Transit Now”??? Isn’t “Transit Now” supposed to provide the short term immediate relief that Ron Sims is advocating for in his op-ed piece? That is exactly how he presented it before the vote. So what has changed?

The way I see it Ron is pretty much admitting that “TN” won’t solve the problem. So if it won’t solve the problem, then why repeat the mistake and throw even more money at a failed concept?

Don’t get me wrong, buses definitely have a significant role in the local transportation picture, but continually investing in buses and nothing else is how we got ourselves into this problem to begin with. Continually repeating the mistakes of the past isn’t going to change the outcome. It’s time to move beyond “bus-only” solutions.

ST is building, and seeking to expand, a mixed mode approach of heavy rail, light rail, and improved bus transit. If phase II is approved over half the transit passenger miles in the PS region will be served by the rail component, and the bus component will be redeployed for improved service on thinner routes.

Such a plan deserves our support. It’s time to move beyond the shortsightedness of the likes of Sims and K-F.

Time to “just get-err-done”.

Brad, you know perfectly well the 550 ends in downtown Bellevue, and light rail doesn’t.

(That’s why we’re not putting the 550 on rails. The 550 is a subset of East Link service, but East Link trains would go not only from downtown to Bellevue, but also continue on the Bellevue side to Overlake via the Bel-Red corridor, and on the Seattle side to Northgate (and beyond) via Central Link and North Link – no transfer necessary. Service will be more frequent as well as more reliable. In addition, all those 550 service hours will go to other Sound Transit routes on the eastside, like the 545, 554, 564/565, 540, 532, and 535 -Ben)

“People can’t wait that long for more transit service. As government, we need to be more responsive. We need relief in 15 months, not 15 years.”

Yet he has NO feasible alternative to light rail and adovocates waiting AT LEAST 24 MONTHS BEFORE GOING TO THE BALLOT!!

I find this offensive!

…is Seattle that broke that it can’t shoulder that burden? Wow.