Comments on: City Analysis Likely to Narrow Streetcar Options

By: chh

chh — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:02:20 +0000

As part of this project, would it be possible to put in the necessary switch in the tracks at the corner of Jackson and 14th, as well as a block or so of tracks extending east on Jackson? This would enable the line to be continued up the hill on Jackson later without disrupting service on the First Hill line. Same principle as the Pine Street Stub Tunnel downtown.

By: chh

chh — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:59:34 +0000

That jog sure seems silly from the bird’s eye level of looking at the route map. Driving northwest on Boren from Jackson, one would cross the tracks 3 times within a few blocks as the streetcar route zigs and zags back and forth through the neighborhood.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:13:50 +0000

My parents are own a business in the area (and talking with a few other owners) around CHS, I’d say our lease is overpriced relative to the current business situation. Not sure what that says about the actual or perceived value of the land.

By: Adam B. Parast

Adam B. Parast — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:15:53 +0000

Lets just put this this way. Two-way Broadway has the fewest detracting factors. Western options have slower speeds and 12th Ave has accessibility problems. In either case these alignments won’t capture the same percent of potential riders as the two-way Broadway would.

By: Adam B. Parast

Adam B. Parast — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:08:17 +0000

I think that this streetcar makes an extension to the CD more probably, not less. If the tracks on Jackson are shared it allows you to get further into the CD without the costs of getting into downtown.

By: Adam B. Parast

Adam B. Parast — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:56:31 +0000

LIDs only work well if current land values are undervalued compared to their fully build out potential. In the case of north Broadway I don’t know if that area is undervalued but if and LID was to fund the project there might need to be an upzone to created the differential that can then be captured by new property taxes.

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:48:13 +0000

And a future Union Cable Car! :)

By: Zef Wagner

Zef Wagner — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:38:36 +0000

One thing to keep in mind is that the 2-way Broadway route serves Swedish’s front door and also SU’s back door, so it really is a good compromise. Virginia Mason can get by on bus service, as many have pointed out.

By: Zef Wagner

Zef Wagner — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:24:07 +0000

I agree. If SDOT chooses an alignment that does not include 12th, I think the 12th ave folks should lobby for 2 things: Bus service (9, 60, 49) on 12th ave in the short-term, and a streetcar added to the streetcar plan for the long-term. That area does need transit service, after all.

By: Zef Wagner

Zef Wagner — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:19:47 +0000

Thank you for your comments regarding the “Cap Hill vs First Hill” crap the Stranger came up with. If anything the fight would be “12th Ave and CD vs First Hill”. Cap Hill just wants the Aloha extension.

By: Zef Wagner

Zef Wagner — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:12:36 +0000

That is certainly a possibility. The South Lake Union Streetcar is funded partially by a LID, although it was easier there because so much property is owned by one company (Vulcan).

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:58:07 +0000

There are four blocks between the Pike stop and the Denny stop.

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:54:23 +0000

All great points. It’s true that while most of us support the Broadway option, a 12th Ave Streetcar is still a good idea in the long run. I was thinking you could route a streetcar up 12th to Madison, then up Madison to 15th and down 15th to Volunteer Park.

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:50:29 +0000

Yesler Terrace, which will in a few years be hugely expanded with lots of residential and office towers.

By: Jonathan Dubman

Jonathan Dubman — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:36:32 +0000

Is there a reason anyone thinks that should be a higher priority than directly connecting to the International District Station?

The Weller Street loop has good stadium access and more with its stop near the Weller Street pedestrian bridge, which takes you Sounder as well as the “North Lot” property, which will be intensely redeveloped. The stop is adjacent to the Link station. You don’t even have to cross the street. I can’t imagine doing better than that.

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:19:44 +0000

Maybe a transit ballot measure in November will include funding for this. And we can always dream about a future extension all the way down the 49 route to the U District too…

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:16:35 +0000

That’s not a streetcar, it’s a light rail train, and that’s a very rare occurrence.

By: chh

chh — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:13:19 +0000

There should be a couple more stops along this route. With reference to the two-way Broadway proposal, I think there should be another stop on Broadway, north of the Pike St. stop. There is a pretty heavy concentration of retail and residential traffic along there. Adding in an additional stop in that stretch would considerably add to the usability and convenience of the line, while only adding about 30 seconds to the trip each way. Well worth it.

What’s wrong with SLU or Portland Streetcar stop spacing? Unless we want to have redundant bus service on this corridor, the streetcar needs to stop more than every 8-10 blocks. I’m not saying the streetcar needs to stop every 2 blocks like the busses do, but how about every 4-5 blocks?

By: John Jensen

John Jensen — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:51:44 +0000

The 12th Ave initiative is organized and has some real support, kind of like the Vision Line, and needed a strong voice to push back.

I think we did a good job, and there’s not much need to write long editorials about it anymore. But we probably should cover when new data (such as the data in the blog entry) comes out.

By: John Jensen

John Jensen — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:45:11 +0000

Thanks Tony, I’ll update the post again.