Gas Prices above $3 Again

[E-rock]

Light rail to the aiport is an obvious start for a metropolitan area.

 

I'd hardly call it an OBVIOUS start. Portland and Salt Lake City, two outstanding models of light rail infrastructure, initially built their systems parallel to major commuter corridors in an attempt to provide the work-a-day car commuter with a clean, easy, and theoretically preferable alternative, which is the whole point of mass transit. Most major cities in the US with mass transit systems in place either built their lines serving the airports after the majority of the commuter infrastructure was already in place, or they never build such a line at all (New York).

 

In my opinion, the reason a line to Sea-tac has been built first is because it's the easiest place to do it. There's already a major interstate parallel to the line, real estate gets cheap the further south you go, and the people in charge of bringing mass transit to fruition are probably sick of dealing with all of the complaining, stonewalling, and bickering that occurs in Seattle any time something like this starts gaining steam.

[fenderfour]

In my opinion, the reason a line to Sea-tac has been built first is because it's the easiest place to do it. There's already a major interstate parallel to the line, real estate gets cheap the further south you go, and the people in charge of bringing mass transit to fruition are probably sick of dealing with all of the complaining, stonewalling, and bickering that occurs in Seattle any time something like this starts gaining steam.

 

Funny, I was going topost something along these lines, but I was too lazy.

 

There has been no major litigation or neighborhood protest against the line from South Seattle to the airport.

 

 

[Jim]

While I wish they were working on the Northgate line at the same time, the airport link is a good start. There is a ton of daily business traffic between the airport and downtown. I know when I fly to Portland for work it's so easy to hop on the light rail and get downtown, where there are other line links or buses.

 

We're a little late but I'm hoping we can push this out to the 'burbs north and east soon.

[tvashtarkatena]

About 100,000 passengers a day fly in and out of Seatac, a figure which kind of puts the "who the hell commutes to the airport?" question in the proper light. The airport line will be able to carry 45,000 a day. Traffic is south King County is also increasing faster than other areas. The line will help with that as well.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Ever think that people with this attitude is why our public transportation sucks? King County is full of NIMBY's and people who bitch that "it's too little too late" or "doesn't help me..." Embrace what we are getting and have the forethought to understand that it is easier to expand existing infrastructure than it is to establish new.

 

Nope. They should build the rail where it's needed most first.

[AlpineK]

So what you are saying is we should tear this one down and have a brand new fight instead of adding on eventually to what they are building

[counterfeitfake]

Nope. They should build the rail where it's needed most first.

 

That's the spirit! Stick to your guns!

[kevbone]

They should build the rail where it's needed most first.

 

No shit....like between Portland and Vancouver, that traffic sucks beyond sucks.

[BachelorTravis]

They should build the rail where it's needed most first.

 

No shit....like between Portland and Vancouver, that traffic sucks beyond sucks.

 

If you choose to live in the couve to duck OR property tax but do all your shopping in OR to duck WA sales tax you deserve to sit in traffic for being such a cheap asshole.

 

They should make the I-5 bridge a toll bridge and only charge people who drive across it more than 1x a day

[kevbone]

They should build the rail where it's needed most first.

 

No shit....like between Portland and Vancouver, that traffic sucks beyond sucks.

 

If you choose to live in the couve to duck OR property tax but do all your shopping in OR to duck WA sales tax you deserve to sit in traffic for being such a cheap asshole.

 

They should make the I-5 bridge a toll bridge and only charge people who drive across it more than 1x a day

 

That comment shows how much you know about the topic. Thanks for telling me why I live there.

 

40% of Vancouverites work in Portland. There fore they all pay income tax, yet get nothing back in return. Yet OR want Wa to pay for the new bridge and WA wants OR to pay for the new bridge.

Traffic affects everybody. A solution is coming….just don’t know if I will see it in my 30’s or 40’s.

 

[Dechristo]

I'd hardly call it an OBVIOUS start. Portland and Salt Lake City, two outstanding models of light rail infrastructure, initially built their systems parallel to major commuter corridors in an attempt to provide the work-a-day car commuter with a clean, easy, and theoretically preferable alternative, which is the whole point of mass transit.

 

Denver's light rail opened for use by the public, recently... running parallel to I-25, the major north/south commuter corridor.

[BachelorTravis]

If you want something in return for your income tax and don't like traffic why don't you move to Portland? Or can you afford it?

[kevbone]

I have lived in portland for 30 years and got married and she lived in the couv. Bought a great house in the woods and love it. This is were I am staying.

[Stefan]

I take the sounder train sometimes. Fricken cool.

 

Always on time. Always. Minimal stops. There is absolutely no congestion that it runs into.

 

I agree light rail should have stopped at Southcenter. Put a park and ride there, and you would see a larger jump in people using the light rail than what they are planning.

 

Park and rides are the thing for America (not as in Europe) for transportation issues. It is a mix of car and mass transit.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

So what you are saying is we should tear this one down and have a brand new fight instead of adding on eventually to what they are building

 

nope. what I'm saying is as usual things are done in the wrong order.

 

when the money and will runs out on this project, the "extension" may never happen. then we'll have a line serving commuting needs in a suboptimal manner. in the interim those commuting the I5 corridor from Seattle north suffer w/o relief, and possible indefinitely

[mattp]

As far as I know, there is no current plan - even in a vague sort of concept proposal - to build anything extending beyond Northgate. There has been talk of a line to Bellevue, and this might actually serve a greater commuter population but I'm not convinced that more people commute between Northgate and downtown than they do between the airport and downtown.

 

Even though I live fairly close to Northgate, it seems to me that an airport to downtown line was a great first step and I'd prioritize a line to Bellevue over one to Lynnwood.

[tvashtarkatena]

If you want something in return for your income tax and don't like traffic why don't you move to Portland? Or can you afford it?

 

No income tax here, dude.

[tvashtarkatena]

nope. what I'm saying is as usual things are done in the wrong order.

 

when the money and will runs out on this project, the "extension" may never happen. then we'll have a line serving commuting needs in a suboptimal manner. in the interim those commuting the I5 corridor from Seattle north suffer w/o relief, and possible indefinitely

 

Why would the money run out? The project is on time and on schedule.

 

The 'wrong order' is an oversimplification from an uninvolved outsider. If you had to weigh construction costs, threat of lawsuits, last use restrictions, political need to get something in place quick to prove the system to the public, uncertainties as to where future growth would occur, and a hundred other important factors (not just the inconvenience of your own driving habits), you might find that the solution Sound Transit came up with is a pretty damn good one.

 

Also, there is no 'they'. 'We' are building light rail.

[jmace]

How can you say

 

commute 46 miles round trip every day.....sucks the big one.

 

then say

 

Bought a great house in the woods and love it. This is were I am staying.

 

either you like your life or you dont, what you like half of your life...?

[mythosgrl]

My $30 bus pass for 4 months now sounds like such a good deal! I walk, bike and bus most places since i don't own a car.

[Dr_Flush_Amazing]

LINK-O-RIFIC

[tvashtarkatena]

I'm drivin' up to Everett to fill up on cheap gas.

[sk]

My $30 bus pass for 4 months now sounds like such a good deal! I walk, bike and bus most places since i don't own a car.

 

how do you get places to climb and hike?

[tvashtarkatena]

Make friends.

[sk]

Make friends.

 

i have friends and a car

 

point being you really are not impacting the consumption of fule unless you do not ride in cars. taking pulic transportation is great as is riding ones bike and walking.and i am sure it helps to some degree, but if one were to want to make a truely marked impact on our environment it would take more than choosing to not OWN a car.

 

interestingly, my climbing partner just got back from Sydney where he was able to use public transportion to get to the mountians. It wasn't the outback, but i think that is brilliant.