http://seattletransitblog.com Transit in the Greater Seattle Area Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:03:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Seattle Times reports that the Eastside Rail Corridor will cost around $1 to 1.2 billion dollars to develop the corridor according to the study that was completed. I am for one simply and 100% baffled and blown away about the cost. It does NOT seem right at all. Why? The ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/20/eastside-rail-corridor-1-billion-dollars/ If you're in Everett December 3rd, you might want to check out the groundbreaking for Community Transit's Swift BRT construction: Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 11:00 a.m. 11915 Highway 99 and Airport Road Southwest Corner of Home Depot Parking Lot Everett, Washington Site of the first Swift station in partnership with Everett Transit More details on Swift are ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/20/groundbreaking-for-swift/ I missed this, so sorry for telling you a day late, but they were talking about the Capitol Hill Station construction on KUOW. You can listen to the whole conversation in the podcast. It's pretty interesting, and everyone seemed pretty satisfied with the community involvement that Sound Transit is taking ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/20/capitol-hill-station-discussion-on-kuow/ In a post yesterday, I asserted that Seattle bus service is subsidized by King County instead of the opposite. But I didn't exactly prove it which helped launch a very lively comments thread. With the help of Matt from Orphan Road and commenters here (AJ and Multimodal Man in particular), ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/19/subsidy-is-a-loaded-word/ In this part, we will look at how Amtrak Cascades is funded and what it would take to expand service and possible new service including two new stations that will be coming online in 2009. Those new to this series, check out Part One and Part Two Amtrak Cascades in Washington ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/19/amtrak-cascades-part-three-funding-and-expansion-of-service/ If you haven't made your reservations several weeks prior, you're already too late.. Unless you want a sleeper on the Coast Starlight which is almost also all sold out...There are still SOME seats available on the 26th, 29th and the 30th. Those however WILL GO FAST! Extra trains are the following #511 ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/19/looking-to-take-the-cascades-for-thanksgiving/ ECB over at the Slog gave front page treatment to a post from Matt on Orphan Road that claims that Seattle subsidizes King County's bus operations. In fact, the opposite is true: The rest of King County subsidizes Seattle's bus service. Seattle has more service hours per the revenue it ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/18/in-fact-king-county-subsidizes-seattle-buses/ This cracked me up. Via the Overhead Wire. http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/18/top-ten-signs-your-a-transit-geek/ If the 50¢ Metro fare increase John mentioned yesterday does generate $30 million for Metro through 2010, it would fall short of the amount Metro very needs to cover its $70 million budget shortfall. In my last post on the subject, I noted a County Council plan that could save ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/17/metros-fare-hike-might/ This is what the Pioneer Square Station entrance on 3rd between James and Cherry looks like now: What would look like if Norman Foster's Civic Square Tower is built? Go below the fold to find out. More images of the building here (warning 88 MB pdf), though that's pretty much it for ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/17/new-look-pioneer-square-station/ According to this Op-Ed in the Province, the work to improve the track between the border in Vancouver by creating a passing track in Delta, BC was completed six months ago. However, the Canada Border Services Agency has imposed new costs on the service, and that has delayed progress the ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/17/canada-dropping-the-ball-on-speedier-service-to-vancouver/ The King County Council has approved a 50-cent fare hike to be phased in over the next 14 months.  On February 1, 2009 fares will be boosted by 25 cents -- which will bring one-zone peak fares up to $2.00 and two-zone peaks to $2.50. Fares will be boosted again ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/17/metro-fare-hike-approved/ Apparently its not just transit around that costs more around here than in other parts of the country. The third runway at Sea-Tac will have cost more than $1 billion when it opens for air traffic next week, and debt service will continue until 2035. The article mentions a future ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/16/news-round-up-7/ Details on the Capitol Hill station construction mitigation. Sound Transit spends a lot of money, in this case $610,000, on construction mitigation for businesses around projects, and the Capitol Hill station is smack in the center of a major business district. Sound Transit will even have a full-time staff working ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/16/capitol-hill-business-mitigation/ Here's a video of the EMX BRT in Eugene, where they use the same sort of coaches that Rapid Ride will use. Here's a news story on the system. The BRT system, entitled the "Emerald Express", has 60% of its route in a dedicated lane, which is always the sign ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/16/brt-in-eugene/ Evan Siroky, has this great page full of ideas and ways to get between cities on public transit. My favorite is from Seattle to Victoria BC on bus and ferry. http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/16/from-intercity-travel-on-public-transit/ The latest issue of ST's Regional Transit News includes a proposal to speed up the 554, and do a major re-route of the 555 and 556 between DT Bellevue and the Eastgate P&R. The 554 would stop only on the HOV access ramp and continue on to Issaquah or Seattle, rather ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/14/st-express-service-changes/ The Federal Transit Administration announced to Congress today it's plan to fund University Link to the tune of $813 million. The notification is the second to last step to ensuring the full funding grant agreement between the FTA and Sound Transit. After today, Congress as 60 days to discuss the ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/14/fta-813-million-for-univesity-link/ WSDOT has this site detailingeight options for the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement. The plans differ pretty remarkably, from a "low capital" surface-option with little built to deep-bored tunnel, and even a covered four lane elevated structure, with a sky-bridge and development underneath the roadway. Definitely view the plans, and check ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/14/viaduct-replacement-options/ Check out the 520 bridge survey here, put together by the Washington State DOT and the Washington State Transportation Commission. I travel across the bridge every day, so I'm glad I get the opportunity to speak up. There are also a few questions about spending a bit of the money on transit ... http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/13/520-bridge-survey/