February 10, 2009 at 10:57 am
by Andrew Smith
 Photo by gawnesco The Senate has approved their version of the stimulus plan in a 61-37 vote. All Democrats and three Republicans – Senator Arlen Specter, of Pennsylvania, and Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine – voted yes, with the remaining Republicans present voting no. Judd Gregg (R-NH) was not present for the vote, and a winner in Minnesota Senate race between Al Frankin and Norm Coleman has not yet been seated.
Because the Constitution requires that both Houses of Congress pass the same bill, the next step is for the Conference Committee to meet and resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions. Senator Specter has stated that he wants most of the what was in the Senate version to come back from Conference, which could mean the bill will look more like the Senate version in the end. Both Houses have to vote a final time before the bill can be sent to the President to sign into law, and without a 60-seat majority in the Senate, the Democrats will need at least two Republican votes to end debate and avoid a filibuster.
Friday the Transport Politic had a nice chart showing the differences between the House and Senate bills on Amtrak and transit, and I’ve reproduced it here.
| Program |
Passed House Bill |
Proposed Senate Bill |
| Grants to Amtrak |
$800 m |
$850 m |
| Grants to States for Rail |
$300 m |
$250 m |
| High-Speed Rail |
0 |
$2 b |
| Total Rail |
$1.1 b |
$3.1 b |
| Transit Formula Funds |
$7.5 b |
$8.4 b |
| Fixed Guideway Modernization |
$2 b |
0 |
| New Starts |
$2.5 b |
0 |
| Total Transit |
$12 b |
$8.4 b |
| Discretionary Grants |
0 |
$5.5 b |
I wonder how transit will fare in the “discretionary grant” programs. It’d be the first chance to see Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in action and find out if he’s just another road warrior. Personally, I’d rather see Congress fund New Starts – which give cash to local transit projects – than High Speed Rail. Which would you rather see?
Update: Here’s a comparison of the timelines and levels of spending and tax cuts between the two versions of the bill.
February 10, 2009 at 12:00 am
by Andrew Smith
 Amtrak Cascades, by Stephen Rees
Here’s a killer news round-up:
February 9, 2009 at 1:36 pm
by Eric Butler
Photo: Zipcars Live Here.
Last week Zipcar, the local car-sharing company, announced a partnership with the City of Seattle and opened a new retail-style office downtown.
(more…)
February 9, 2009 at 1:24 pm
by Brian Bundridge
Dan Simmering took a photo on 02-08-2009 of one of the Amtrak Cascades trainsets that was heavily vandalized in Seattle. The train got spray painted and several windows broken out of it. The picture shows the train leaving Tacoma after getting some work done at Coast Engine and Equipment Company He was nice enough to share this image with us.
It is unknown when this trainset will be repainted, it is currently out of service for its refurbishment.
February 8, 2009 at 11:51 pm
by Andrew Smith
 Abandoned platform, Toronto, by serhio
- Publicola, which is the best addition to the local blogosphere in recent memory, has a great piece about how Rep Jay Inslee (D-WA) is working to ensure pro-environment voices are heard in the stimulus conversation as co-chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. I’m kind of surprised that no Republicans are in the 35 member committee, but I guess they are working against the stimulus at the moment, so it would be odd for a Republican to fight for projects in a bill he’s oging to vote against.
- Accoridng to Glenn Thrush via a Senate Aide and Transportation for America, transit was not on the list of items cut from the Senate Stimulus Bill. I’m not trusting that Senatus blog again. The Senate will vote Tuesday. Via Streetsblog.
- This is very misleading. First, there’s the ridiculous claim that 30% of garbage sent to landfills is from building demolition. Next, there’s the bizarre “scientific explanation” for how a cut-down tree releases all its carbon into the atmosphere (only when it’s burned…). Then there’s an argument that light rail is pushing up residential and retail rents, so we should build fewer homes and store fronts. Huh? What happened to supply and demand? But the grand finale is that building density around light rail stations is going to force people to drive. You can’t make this stuff up.
- Vivace is up and running in the Brix condo building on Mercer after having to move from the old place on John to make way for the Capitol Hill Station construction. Everyone seems happy, so I am too.
February 8, 2009 at 7:30 am
by Martin H. Duke
 Beacon Hill Station, August 2008 (Sound Transit) One way to appreciate the extent to which Sound Transit is a pretty clean agency is to understand the sheer volume of documents they put on the web for public consumption. Given the local media’s inclination to seize on any piece of news and spin it negatively, the fact that most of it passes without any real comment is a good indicator.
The latest omnibus document on their website is the agency progress report, which goes into gory detail about virtually every project ST has its fingers in. If the Citizen Oversight Panel report wasn’t geeky enough for you, this is the one to read.
There aren’t a ton of surprises: LINK is still on time. There are still 8 days of “float” built into Airport Link’s 31 December start date, so the irrationally optimistic can hope that they’re able to support holiday travelers.
Apparently, ORCA was scheduled to “go live” on March 1 and have “full acceptance” on October 1, but given the late hour that appears likely to slip.
If you like project management or know anything about civil engineering, it might be worth a read.
February 7, 2009 at 3:34 pm
by Martin H. Duke
I’ve been informed that I neglected to link to the survey for Sound Transit’s proposed 2009-10 service changes. I’d guess that since it’s basically a South King and Pierce show, with some impacts in West Seattle, the great transit heartland up by the ship canal isn’t all that interested.
Nevertheless, if you’re at all affected please let them know your opinion.
February 7, 2009 at 3:02 pm
by Martin H. Duke
 WSDOT Flickr Pool Although it remains murky whether or not we will finally, forever be rid of the viaduct, it’s never too early to start arguing about what should replace it.
 Poplar Pt. proposal, from flickr user stirlingr One thing I’m sure we’ll see is a push to turn a large part of it into open space. After all, open space is accessible to anyone, while housing and offices are enjoyed by a relative few. GreaterGreaterWashington, which is basically the Washington, DC equivalent of STB and hugeasscity combined, came out against extensive open space in a very large redevelopment going on in Anacostia. He even trots out the Jane Jacobs:
In orthodox [modernist] city planning, neighborhood open spaces are venerated in an amazingly uncritical fashion, much as savages venerate magical fetishes [sic]. Ask a houser how his planned neighborhood improves on the old city and he will cite, as a self-evident virtue, More Open Space. Ask a zoner about the improvements in progressive codes and he will cite, again as a self-evident virtue, their incentives toward leaving More Open Space. Walk with a planner through a dispirited neighborhood and though it be already scabby with deserted parks and tired landscaping festooned with an old Kleenex, he will envision a future of More Open Space.
More Open Space for what? For muggings? For bleak vacuums between buildings? Or for ordinary people to use and enjoy? But people do not use city open space just because it is there and because city planners wish they would.
There certainly is a place for mega-parks like New York’s Central Park and our very own Arboretum. But the creation of urban “green space” should always be measured against the fact that it will displace people, ultimately causing the destruction of genuine natural habitat.
February 6, 2009 at 6:42 pm
by Andrew Smith
The Senate seems to have worked out a deal on a stimulus bill after cutting about $100 billion in spending from the last version. The Senate cut another $3.4 billion in transit cash, leaving just $5 billion. The House version had $13 billion for transit. At least Patty Murray fought for transportation. The rest of the Senate has been a massive disappointment.
February 6, 2009 at 6:08 pm
by Brian Bundridge
With the transition of new schedules and routes, comes new drivers on routes they may have never encountered before. Some are slow learners and others are fast. On Monday, if you notice something amidst with your driver, make sure to give him/her a hand! They will be grateful that a regular on the route is helping them out and getting everyone home safely.
As a side note, today, one heck of a bus driver is switching from the MT 158 Express to the ST 564. Henry is probably one of the most exceptional drivers you could want. Warm bus, very smooth driving, and everyone, driver and passengers, are extremely friendly with each other. It is a seldom moment that makes me happy to ride Metro. His attitude on the job always rocked. When he announced that today was his last day, there was a loud groan of sorrow. When the bus pulled off, EVERYONE that got off the bus was waving. If anyone deserves a driver of the year award, it would most definitely be him.
Great job Henry!
February 6, 2009 at 3:07 pm
by Martin H. Duke
Our next meet-up will be the evening of Wednesday, February 25 at 6pm, in Seattle’s International District.
This won’t be like our previous meetups, where we just sit around and drink beer, although I’m sure there will be plenty of that. I promise you the new and improved version will be something you won’t want to miss.
Details to follow in the next few days, but save the date.
February 6, 2009 at 12:15 pm
by Martin H. Duke
 "SLUT", by Flickr contributor Bejan Buried in Wednesday’s P-I article about the Mercer Street rebuild:
The revised Mercer design also eliminates traffic signal priority for the South Lake Union streetcars. Instead of getting an automatic green light at intersections, the streetcars will stop with the rest of traffic, which is expected to add several minutes to streetcar schedules.
I’ve never been terribly energized about the Streetcar, because in terms of speed and capacity it offers only marginal improvements over RapidRide. Similarly, the Mercer redo is, to the extent I’ve been paying attention, a relatively harmless revision of a pretty poorly designed corridor.
Nevertheless, if we’re going to pour a lot of money into the streetcar — which we should — and try to get people out of their cars, it would make sense to prioritize the transit, not the cars, even if it means the light is a few seconds shorter. A longer green light to cross the river of cars on Mercer would, of course, also help pedestrians and bicyclists.
SDOT did not reply to an email opportunity to comment.
February 6, 2009 at 2:06 am
by Andrew Smith
 Photo by Lodigs Monday I almost forgot my bike on the bus’s bike rack. It was the first time I’d ever taken a bike on the bus – I usually plan on living close to the stops, but I had to run some errands – and I made the rookie mistake of exiting through the rear doors. I had to chase the bus two blocks and not Seattle blocks either: big, long, suburban, Redmond super-blocks, and luckily there was a big, long, suburban, Redmond super-red-light where I could catch back up. Now I know to come to the front and tell the driver I need my bike before de-bussing.
It got me thinking of all the things I’ve lost on buses and trains over the years; this is not a list I’m proud of. I can remember four cell phones on three continents: one (my first!) on the 43, one on the 540, one on the Denentoshi Sen, which I recovered, and one on the Hammersmith and City line. I’ll never forget the two backpacks: one on the 48 on my way to Washington Middle School back during the school bus drivers’ strike and one on the Toyoko line which I recovered by calling my roommate and letting him know to get on that same train on it’s way back from Yokohama. Then there’s the odds and ends: a wallet once on the 44, a cheesecake once on the Shinkansen from Fukuoka to Hiroshima, and a digital camera on the ICE from Hamberg to Amsterdam just this summer. You’d think I’d have the hang of this by now… I’m sort of proud of myself that with four years of riding BART, Muni, and Caltrain every day I never lost anything.
So obviously I’m more absent-minded than most. But I’m not alone, otherwise transit organizations wouldn’t have pages on their website like this Metro Lost and Found page, this Metro Bike Lost and Found Page, this Sound Transit page, this Pierce Transit Page, this Pierce Transit comment, or this ferries page about how to recover lost items. So what have you lost on transit? Did you get it back? If so, how?
February 6, 2009 at 12:48 am
by Andrew Smith
February 5, 2009 at 8:16 pm
by Brian Bundridge
I just happened to come across the Buzzer Blog, Translink’s transit blog. During my time exploring the blog, I found some new vehicles for SkyTrain!
The new Mark II cars are the same as the older Mark II vehicles but with some new, not yet announced features. These new vehicles (Bombardier) are not the same as the new vehicles (Hyundai Rotem) for the Canada Line. For more information on the new SkyTrain equipment, check out this link.
For those that are interested in the new metro line for Vancouver BC, check out Skyscraper City for the latest news on the project.
February 5, 2009 at 2:15 pm
by Brian Bundridge
This morning at Renton Transit Center, Sound Transit was getting the word out about upcoming bus and Sounder changes. A gentleman boarded the bus after everyone was on (standing room only after the wheelchairs), made a brief announcement to everyone of the upcoming change, and left some papers in front of the bus with all of the details. He asked us to be proactive and voice “your” opinion and left with a cheerful “Have a great morning”. It took all of 30 seconds and he was off to do the same for the ST 560 that arrived behind us. Another person was across the street doing the same for the Southbound buses.
I couldn’t help but smile and pondered if Metro could get the word out such as this. While Sound Transit does have a smaller number of buses, they manage to get somebody in person to get the word out with. ST just earned major kudos from me and a quite a few other riders since by the time we reached Bellevue Transit Center, all of the papers were gone.
I know that every once in a while, Metro does a PA communication where somebody just advises riders to go to Metro’s Website about the upcoming changes. If the speakers are low on the coach though, you’re not going to hear it.
All in All…Good move ST, good move.
February 5, 2009 at 11:15 am
by Andrew Smith
 Tube Closures, photo by Glenn Harper This week’s snow storm in South England happens about once every 18 years. It’s expected to drop up to 8 inches, and currently it’s bringing London to its knees. Interestingly, they seem cheerful about it. During our once every 18 or 20 years snow storm, it brought Seattle to our knees but the grousing when on for weeks. Snow certainly did not bring out the best in us. If London can handle a brief shutdown due to snow and be happy, can’t we?
(more…)
February 4, 2009 at 10:39 pm
by Andrew Smith
 Tacoma Link, photo by Siobhán2009
- Curb Bulbs are becoming a sticking point in the Mercer Street fix design. Without the curb bulbs, Mercer Street could be seven lanes instead of six, which a lot of truck drivers want.
- This Wired piece notes the budget short falls facing transit agencies across country are not being noticed by Congress. The Stimulus package includes help for state budgets and money for transit capital projects, but no money to keep transit service from being cut.
- According to Forbes, Seattle has the 5th most improved commute. My commute definitely feels improved over the past year or so, but I wonder how much of that is related to the downturn in employment.
- American Progress says Seattle is one of the best cities in the US to live without a car, along with San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Boston, DC, Philly and New York. I lived the first twenty or so years of my life in Seattle without a car, and I can attest that it can be pretty easy, but it depends where you live (I grew up on Capitol Hill and in Wallingford).
February 4, 2009 at 10:27 pm
by Andrew Smith
 Photo by wings777 King County has updated its website’s url to KingCounty.gov. Trip Planner is now at www.kingcounty.gov/tripplanner and the new Metro Link is: www.kingcounty.gov/metro.
Update As Alex points out in the comments, the website has been there for months. It’s just starting this week, the old url (transit.metrokc.gov) will no longer work.
February 4, 2009 at 12:58 pm
by Andrew Smith
 http://endhits.portlandmercury.com/endhits/archives/2008/08/15/knw-yr-pdx-light-rail-coyote I needed something to cheer me up. This photo illustrates one danger of building light rail to the far-flung suburbs: unwanted riders.
H/T to Gordon Werner.
Get cable & internet in Seattle from Comcast.USDirect.com
« Newer Posts — Older Posts »
|
