ST 2.1

Posted on by Frank Chiachiere

This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.

Well, this is certainly disappointing. I sure wish we’d voted for Prop 1 last fall, but I’m willing to let bygones be bygones. If I can get over not having a monorail up and running by now, I can get over the fact that Sound Transit will have to significantly scale back its ambitions.

So we’re looking at either something like this (pdf) or this (also pdf).

Obviously getting to Overlake is critical. But we also have our own transit needs here inside the city of Seattle. Maybe it would be better focus attention on a system within the city, especially on the Ballard-West Seattle side. You know, like a streetcar. Except one that ran on its own right-of-way, not in the street.

Sound Transit Workshop

Posted on by Andrew Smith


I went to the Sound Transit workshop today, and it was interesting to see the various proposals. Here’s a pdf of the presentation.

  • I was disappointed that more Sounder service to Tacoma wasn’t included (the biggest increase was to just 15 daily round-trips), though that route is at or near capacity already. I guess this is because BNSF won’t give much more potential service on that route?
  • It was interesting to see that none of the plans proposed light rail south of Des Moines, which is really only one station south of Sea-Tac, or north of Northgate which is only three stations north of UW station. This is probably okay, I don’t know the ridership numbers exactly, but I doubt you’d get a lot of riders. The largest plan still had light-rail to Overlake (though not Redmond).
  • Nearly everybody there I spoke with seemed to think 2010 was the time to go back to ballot, which was what I have been leaning toward as well, with the recession and all. The one thing that could change my mind, is would be if Obama gets the nomination, he would drive young voters to the polls and vastly increase the likelihood of it passing in 2008.
  • I was suprised to see things I had never heard of before, like a Everett Streetcar (Everett Link?), Tacoma Link extensions to TCC, and a Northgate Freeway BRT station (where that would get built, I have no idea).
  • There was one Eastside Rail proposal, though I still think this is a bad idea, since most of the path is single-way and tops speeds are about 15 mph.

This map shows what the districts could look like if Mary Margaret Haugen’s bill passes.

Update
Here’s a TNT article about it from the Pierce County perspective. Is it just me, or is TNT much better than at least the Times and probably the PI as well?
Did anyone else go?

Possible Metro Strike

Posted on by Andrew Smith

Erica C Barnett mentions a possible Metro strike, because the union did not accept the county’s last contract. That’s a scary thought. I hope it doesn’t happen or I might be working from home for a considerable time. However, I don’t agree with the “refusing to pay fare” comment though. The FTA provisions that if you accept FTA money, you have to excuse people who make reasonable attempts to pay but can’t afford it. It’s a public service after all.

What would you do if Metro striked?

I-90, Hwy 2, I-84 all Closed…. Blewett Next?

Posted on by Brian Bundridge

All of the major Highways are closed and if you want to go East, there is no easy way of doing that.

I-90 is closed at Snoqualmie Pass due to very heavy snow and avalanche dangers
Hwy 2 is closed at Stevens Pass/Scenic/Berne due to very heavy snow and avalanche dangers
I-84 is closed near the Umatila Indian Reservation.

Is Blewett next?

M/V Christine Anderson Sea Trails starts Monday

Posted on by Brian Bundridge

I call the ferry it’s proper name… News calls it the Steilacoom II… but Sea Trails will begin between Port Townsend and Keystone. The tests will last a few weeks to see how the ferry handles the waterway and most importantly docking at Keystone. This will also go with training for the boats.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004156303_webferry31m.html

I wonder how long until we see pictures of a 20 foot swell going over the bow of this thing

New Bus Schedules

Posted on by Martin H. Duke

One period in the bus rider’s life that is pregnant with anticipation is the days before the new schedule comes out. As someone who has two non-ideal transfers to get to work, I’m always hopeful that the schedule will be tweaked in such a way so as to make my life a lot easier.

As someone who also works in a very poorly-served area, I’m also eternally hopeful that the service will get better. The comment period in 2005 about major Eastside service revisions got my hopes up, but as usual Metro planning is opaque when they’re not specifically asking for your opinion.

I’m usually disappointed.

Today the new schedules came out. Check here to see what lines are affected beginning Feb. 9. Sound Transit’s new schedule booklet is available here.

Highlights:

  • Tacoma LINK runs later on weekdays, and with more frequency (and fewer hours) on Sundays.
  • Rte 248 replaces the part of Rte 540 east of Kirkland, and extends to Avondale Rd.
  • Rte 221 is a new Route from Eastgate to Education Hill (Redmond) via 148th Ave.
  • Routes 8 and 70 have more frequent service to SLU, thanks to some of the employers in the area.

A mini-RTID?

Posted on by Martin H. Duke

According to the Everett Herald, Snohomish County is mulling over a local transportation improvement district using the authority they have under the bill that created RTID.

It’s unclear how the various bills that would revoke RTID’s authority come into play here.

Good thing we voted down light rail to get rid of RTID! At least it’s early, so no reason to panic.

via Sound Politics.