Gas Prices above $3 Again

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Right here, Seattle voters are screaming for public transportation solutions.

 

 

Yeah! Let's build a monorail!

 

People have screamed for public transport for the 15 years I've lived here and we've paid millions and gotten squat. Your big gov't at work - sans results. As usual.

[lI1|1!]

oh well

Edited April 26, 2007 by lI1|1!

[Mr_Phil]

A Monorail?!?

 

Not in my neighborhood!

[octopuswithafez]

Right here, Seattle voters are screaming for public transportation solutions.

 

 

Yeah! Let's build a monorail!

 

People have screamed for public transport for the 15 years I've lived here and we've paid millions and gotten squat. Your big gov't at work - sans results. As usual.

 

15 years? Try at least thirty

 

On May 19, 1970, King County voters reject four Forward Thrust bond issues for a regional rail transit system, storm water control, community centers, and new County public health and safety facilities. The total local cost of $615.5 million (not counting $900 million in pending federal aid for mass transit) apparently alarms voters amid the deepening Boeing Bust. James Ellis and other civic leaders disband Forward Thrust soon after the vote.

 

Of course the Federal funding that was earmarked went somewhere else...

 

 

 

Of course the $615 million pricetag is about $3.25 billion in 2006 dollars...

 

inflation calculator

Edited April 26, 2007 by octopuswithafez

[Seahawks]

Who Killed the Electric Car is a pretty interesting documentary.

 

Check it out.

 

very interesting.

[octopuswithafez]

And now with the $16Billion + possible measure of ST2 and RTID on the Nov. ballot most likely failing, I don't see any chance of relief soon...

[fenderfour]

Light rail is quietly plugging away. Have you seen the elevated structures near the airport?

[catbirdseat]

Light Rail going to the airport was a STUPID idea. People don't COMMUTE to the airport. There already was excellent bus, taxi and limousine service to the airport.

 

On the other end, they are stopping at the University District where there is no parking and no large bus terminal. Again Stupid.

 

The line should have been built in three phases. First from Downtown to Northgate, where there is a HUGE park and ride. Then from Downtown to Southgate. Finally from Northgate to Lynnwood.

 

The line as built will definitely make it quick and easy for politicians to fly in and out of SeaTac so they can visit downtown Seattle. It goes to show that things get done for political reasons, not because they make sense.

Edited April 26, 2007 by catbirdseat

[Mr_Phil]

Of course, gas was $0.35 cents a gallon back in 1970. It's practically doubled, since.

[AlpineK]

There are plenty of people who have jobs that require them to schlep all kinds of stuff to the spot where they are working that day. Myself and lots of people I know couldn't do there job via bus. Due to my injury I take the bus quite often, and it is a good means of transport, but it also means that I can't work right now.

[cj001f]

thats cheap. It's been >€1 a Liter for a bit where I've been. ~€4+/gallon or ~$6 really hurts

[octopuswithafez]

thats cheap. It's been >€1 a Liter for a bit where I've been. ~€4+/gallon or ~$6 really hurts

 

Gotta pay for the bloated welfare state:

 

fuel duty in the United Kingdom is:

 

* 47.1 pence per litre for ultra-low sulphur unleaded petrol/diesel

* 50.9 pence per litre for conventional unleaded petrol

* 53.27 pence per litre for conventional diesel

* 27.1 pence per litre for biodiesel and bioethanol (to encourage conversion)

* Zero VAT and duty, for jet fuel used for international aviation

 

Note: in the UK, Value Added Tax (VAT), currently at 17.5%, is also charged on the price of the fuel and on the duty.

 

Wikipedia

Edited April 26, 2007 by octopuswithafez

[cj001f]

 

Gotta pay for the bloated welfare state:

 

yeah, because the US fiscal house is in perfect order. It's not like we've got a war to pay for

 

of course.... the UK doesn't use the Euro, so I'm not sure what the fuck you were talking about

[Mr_Phil]

Light Rail going to the airport was a STUPID idea. People don't COMMUTE to the airport. There already was excellent bus, taxi and limousine service to the airport.

 

Light Rail to the airport is an EXCELLENT idea.

 

Seattlites have already proven that they have no interest in getting their candy-asses out of their single occupancy cars, so it makes no sense to cater to them. Visitors and business travelers, OTOH, know how to get off the train and onto the rail so that they can go downtown or to the university and get some work done.

[octopuswithafez]

 

Gotta pay for the bloated welfare state:

 

yeah, because the US fiscal house is in perfect order. It's not like we've got a war to pay for

 

of course.... the UK doesn't use the Euro, so I'm not sure what the fuck you were talking about

 

Whoops my eyes saw the Euro symbol as pound sterling, my bad!

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Light Rail going to the airport was a STUPID idea. People don't COMMUTE to the airport. There already was excellent bus, taxi and limousine service to the airport.

 

On the other end, they are stopping at the University District where there is no parking and no large bus terminal. Again Stupid.

 

The line should have been built in three phases. First from Downtown to Northgate, where there is a HUGE park and ride. Then from Downtown to Southgate. Finally from Northgate to Lynnwood.

 

The line as built will definitely make it quick and easy for politicians to fly in and out of SeaTac so they can visit downtown Seattle. It goes to show that things get done for political reasons, not because they make sense.

 

 

Having commuted the I-5 from S. Everett to downtown in the past, this is totally obvious. Next lines would need to go between Belleuve and Bothell along the I-405, and of course the 520.

 

I don't care how much these lines would cost, they should just be done and get started now.

 

[octopuswithafez]

Light Rail going to the airport was a STUPID idea. People don't COMMUTE to the airport. There already was excellent bus, taxi and limousine service to the airport.

 

On the other end, they are stopping at the University District where there is no parking and no large bus terminal. Again Stupid.

 

The line should have been built in three phases. First from Downtown to Northgate, where there is a HUGE park and ride. Then from Downtown to Southgate. Finally from Northgate to Lynnwood.

 

The line as built will definitely make it quick and easy for politicians to fly in and out of SeaTac so they can visit downtown Seattle. It goes to show that things get done for political reasons, not because they make sense.

 

 

Having commuted the I-5 from S. Everett to downtown in the past, this is totally obvious. Next lines would need to go between Belleuve and Bothell along the I-405, and of course the 520.

 

I don't care how much these lines would cost, they should just be done and get started now.

 

Actually if we want to speed transit to an air hub and serve the region we need to reopen Paine Field to commercial air travel instead of funneling down to Sea-Tac for all travel.

 

As for the North-End line, totally agree, Why they couldn't have built in the I-5 right of way originally, hell let's run the trolley on the old interurban line

Edited April 26, 2007 by octopuswithafez

[underworld]

 

The line as built will definitely make it quick and easy for politicians to fly in and out of SeaTac so they can visit downtown Seattle. It goes to show that things get done for political reasons, not because they make sense.

 

 

wouldn't the politicians be going to olympia??

[tvashtarkatena]

Right here, Seattle voters are screaming for public transportation solutions.

 

 

Yeah! Let's build a monorail!

 

People have screamed for public transport for the 15 years I've lived here and we've paid millions and gotten squat. Your big gov't at work - sans results. As usual.

 

Uhm...last time I checked light rail was on schedule and on budget. Haven't driven past the airport lately, uh?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Right here, Seattle voters are screaming for public transportation solutions.

 

 

Yeah! Let's build a monorail!

 

People have screamed for public transport for the 15 years I've lived here and we've paid millions and gotten squat. Your big gov't at work - sans results. As usual.

 

Uhm...last time I checked light rail was on schedule and on budget. Haven't driven past the airport lately, uh?

 

like I said - we haven't gotten squat. light rail to the airport is a useless joke.

 

 

[fenderfour]

Light rail to the aiport is an obvious start for a metropolitan area. I'm sorry it doesn't cater to your commute.

 

I fail to see how transit from the airport to seattle caters to politicians. I really doubt they will be on public transit. It does, however, cater to tourism.

 

It isn't always about you folks. Sometimes you gotta stop whining about what you didn't get and wait your turn.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Light rail to the aiport is an obvious start for a metropolitan area. I'm sorry it doesn't cater to your commute.

 

It's got nothing to do with MY commute. I don't do the I-5 corridor anymore. Tens of thousands of people DO - roughly 200 trips to Seattle a year per commuter. And how many to SeaTac a year. Shit, I make maybe 3-4 trips a year to the airport, rarely during "rush hour" and most people are like me - not business travellers. A "start"? Sounds like stupid planning as usual - and misplaced priorities.

 

[fenderfour]

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.

[tvashtarkatena]

Right here, Seattle voters are screaming for public transportation solutions.

 

 

Yeah! Let's build a monorail!

 

People have screamed for public transport for the 15 years I've lived here and we've paid millions and gotten squat. Your big gov't at work - sans results. As usual.

 

Uhm...last time I checked light rail was on schedule and on budget. Haven't driven past the airport lately, uh?

 

like I said - we haven't gotten squat. light rail to the airport is a useless joke.

 

 

Light rail doesn't just go to the airport.

 

You really need to get out more.

 

When currently planned phases are complete, Sound Transit will carry 350,000 passengers a day, roughly the equivalent of all traffic on I 5 through King County.

 

In my book, that seems like a significant improvement.

 

Criticisms similar to those found here were all levied against the BART and Portland's light rail. Now look at how those systems are performing.

 

Cheers to Sound Transit. It's gonna be a cool.

Edited April 27, 2007 by tvashtarkatena

[AlpineK]

I was going to bring that up Tvash. Just because you hop on light rail doesn't mean you are forced to only go to the airport. You can get off whenever you want. Obviously they would need to add on quite a bit to make the system more usefull to a wide variety of people.

 

In the past I have taken a metro bus to the airport and back after my trip. One link via light rail to the airport is an improvement over the bus but not the end of the overall situation.