King County Enacts Transportation Benefit District

January 5, 2010 at 9:00 am
by Martin H. Duke

One of the reasons that Gov. Gregoire vetoed a $20 vehicle license fee for transit last year was that counties already could create transportation benefit districts to levy a similar fee.  However, such a district requires support of 60% of municipal governments comprising at least 75% of the County’s population, although there is no public vote.

On November 3rd of last year Executive Triplett sent a letter to municipalities asking for cities to express support for such a countywide TBD by November 18th.  The legislation itself claims that no cities responded affirmatively, while several directly declined.

Given the lack of positive response, the County Council voted 8-0 (Constantine’s seat is unfilled) yesterday to go ahead with a TBD in the unincorporated areas of King County, though the bill does not yet impose the $20 fee.  The funding would go to a variety of projects (Excel file).  Many are road projects (including the structurally unsound South Park Bridge), but there are quite a few sidewalk and bike lane improvements.  However, as one might expect there isn’t much in the way of relief for Metro in this measure.

Other documents related to this measure are here.

In other news, the Council approved their legislative agenda, which shouldn’t really surprise anyone.

(H/T: Mickymse)

Last Minute Meet-up

January 4, 2010 at 2:08 pm
by Martin H. Duke

This is very short notice, but there’s going to be a Sound Transit-transit blog meetup tomorrow evening, from about 5pm to 8, at the Elysian Fields in Pioneer Square.

The meetup is being put together by a few Sound Transit employees in their off time, and there are likely to be quite a few ST officials dropping by, particularly in the first hour as they leave work and head home.  This is not an official Sound Transit event.  My understanding is that it’s more of a social event than something with a speaking program.  As with most STB meetups, the cost is zero but you buy your own food and drinks.

At any rate, they decided to open it up to committed STB readers as well.   If you’re planning to attend RSVP in the comment thread.  Your RSVP is needed by 12pm tomorrow, January 5th.

New All-Day Pass

January 4, 2010 at 10:00 am
by Martin H. Duke

Photo by Warren Yee

There’s another fare medium out there that I managed to miss the last time I tried to explain it.  The Metro Day Pass, which is sold by drivers only on weekends and holidays and costs $4.50.  It is valid only on Metro buses and not on ST buses operated by Metro.

(H/T: Warren Yee)

Last Week’s Highlights

January 4, 2010 at 6:00 am
by Martin H. Duke

photo by Oran

If you haven’t read STB since before Christmas, shame on you.  To help you out, here are some highlights since the holiday began:

TVMs Coming To A Few New Places

January 3, 2010 at 12:12 pm
by Ben Schiendelman

We’ve recently learned that Sound Transit is planning to put a handful of spare Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) at major locations around the region to spare transit users a trip to a Sounder or Link station.

The only location that we’ve heard is sure right now is the Bellevue Transit Center, and that TVM should come in April. Sound Transit has up to four TVMs to spare, so they’ll be having a regional discussion about where to put the other three in the next couple of months.

Most regional trips do start, transfer or end near a TVM already, but commuters to places like Federal Way and Northgate have to order an ORCA online or by phone if their employer doesn’t provide one. This will make ORCA a little easier.

While we’d like to see more TVMs in the future, they’re apparently quite expensive – Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor informed us at the Swift opening that they were $700,000 – hence Swift’s use of $20,000 Parkeon ticket vending machines that can’t dispense ORCA.

I suspect that the $700,000 number includes administrative, back-end, and maintenance costs, but it hasn’t been examined deeply. TriMet in Portland and TransLink in Vancouver BC use nearly identical systems.

Sunday Open Thread: No Walking USA

January 3, 2010 at 8:00 am
by John Jensen

A New Seahawks Parking Option

January 2, 2010 at 12:24 pm
by Martin H. Duke

The Port of Seattle is offering a section of the airport parking garage at half price before Seahawk games.  Between 8am and 1pm tomorrow, parking in this section will be $2 an hour.

As Tukwila’s lot always overflows, this is a good bet if you don’t want to drive into the Rainier Valley and park at one of many private lots, or simply park on the street for free.  As no media outlet but this one has spent any effort on publicizing the parking available all along the line, this will probably turn out to be a popular option.

Holiday News Roundup

January 2, 2010 at 8:12 am
by Martin H. Duke

Photo by "Hong Kong, dear Edward"

What’s Ahead in 2010

January 1, 2010 at 8:31 am
by Martin H. Duke

"More RapidRide buses in the boneyard", by Oran

2009 was a red-letter year in Greater Seattle’s transit history, but there are some things to look forward to in 2010:

  • In June, the long-awaited opening of RapidRide Line A, from Federal Way to Tukwila/International Blvd. Station.
  • Starting today, Metro fares go up a quarter and transfer policies change.  By the end of the year the physical PugetPass will have disappeared.
  • A Seattle-only rail measure may go to the ballot in November.
  • A major revision to Southwest King County bus service in February, including the end of the 194.
  • A USDOT decision on the TIGER grant in February could cut years off the opening of Link’s S. 200th St. Station.
  • The first two rounds of “low-impact reductions” to Metro service occur in February and September.
  • Metro starts installing a new communications system — to include GPS — in the third quarter, with completion in 2011.
  • Hopefully, next train signs start working at Link stations in January.
  • The Sound Transit Board makes a final decision on the East Link alignment in March.
  • Route 542, from Redmond to NE 65th St (Seattle) via the U-District, begins October 4th, at 5:45am.
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