» Rails, Trails, and Commuting on Seattle's Eastside

Rails, Trails, and Commuting on Seattle's Eastside

Microsoft gets it. The Seattle Times gets it. The Eastside Transportation Association gets it. Ron Sims gets it. Each one of these organizations/people are doing something about better transportation and/or voicing their opinion about transportation systems that will work in King County and on the Eastside.

Microsoft is already doing it. It has a world class shuttle/bus/car system to meet the commuting needs of its employees, cutting down on the number of single car trips and, ultimately, reducing the carbon footprint of Microsoft.

The Seattle Times has come out against the Sound Transit ballot measure. The newspaper, too, recognizes the need for better transportation. The Times doesn’t believe this ballot measure will solve our transportation problems, partly because of its exorbitant cost and, partly, because of the many years it will take to complete the light rail system without any relief to our existing transportation problems. From The Seattle Times editorial:

“Buses are cheaper than rail and more flexible. Proposition 1 slights them: The two center lanes on the Interstate 90 bridge, which now serve buses and Mercer Islanders, become rail-only. Buses are kicked out. Buses will also be kicked out of Seattle’s downtown transit tunnel.

Finally, it is said that Proposition 1 is not about us, but our grandchildren. So it is. It is a proposal to extend two costly rail lines and to oblige our grandchildren to pay for them. The sales tax is raised to 9.5 percent. It is a lot, and it goes on for a very long time.”

The Sound Transit plan is very long term, but does not prepare King County and the eastside for today’s commuter needs. I can’t imagine what a mess will exist on our roads for the next decade if this plan gets passed.

What do you think about Sound Transit’s proposal?

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http://www.masstransitnow.org John ensen

Microsoft does get it, which is why they support Proposition 1. The Sierra Club gets it too.

Light rail construction won’t harm our region’s congestion, rather it’ll provide a long-term and cost-effective solution.

But we do need short-term relief, you’re right. That’s why this plan immediately expands ST bus service by 17% — that’s 100,000 new hours of bus service in 2009 — and continues to expand bus service well into the future. In addition, reliable Bus Rapid Transit will run across the new SR-520 bridge.

These massive investments into the Eastside infrastructure will cause real estate values to explode, just as real estate markets around other transit systems across the nation have taken off. People want an alternative to traffic and gas prices, they want a plan to address congestion and climate change, and they want an affordable and accountable plan. I say vote YES on Proposition 1
http://www.debrasinick.com Debra Sinick

John,

Microsoft is doing a fabulous job with their Connector Shuttle Service. They are a company dedicated to solving our transportation problems and doing it now. I commend them for their forward thinking.

This year, according to Mike Lindblom of the Seattle Times, the company has donated only $10,000 to Prop 1 support, whereas last year they donated $200,000. Here is the company’s “resounding” endorsement of Prop. 1 from Lindblom’s Times article:

“Microsoft plans to give $10,000 this time. Spokesman Lou Gellos said that while the plan stops short of downtown Redmond, it represents progress. “We believe this plan is better than no plan at all,” he said.”

So we should vote for it because it’s a plan, rather than no plan at all? I don’t think so.

“The plan also has been blasted by green-thinking King County Executive Ron Sims, who says money should be poured into express buses, to give the public relief sooner from traffic and gasoline costs.” again reported by Mike Lindblom in The Seattle Times.

You said: “People want an alternative to traffic and gas prices, they want a plan to address congestion and climate change, and they want an affordable and accountable plan.”

I agree with you. However, it should be a plan that makes sense and solves our traffic problems more immediately. I, for one, would like to see a stronger express bus system.

I also believe in the “trickle up” theory. As individuals, we have to do something and take some responsibility. I’ve advocated for ride sharing and car pooling, something we as individuals have to do in addition to a better express bus service.
http://www.masstransitnow.org John Jensen

Debra,

I take Microsoft at their word when they say they endorse Proposition 1 — just like the Mariners and the Sierra Club. But the funding for the campaigns is down on both sides — Kemper Freeman gave $200,000 last year and has yet to contribute a dollar this year. As the Times piece notes, this is because any ad campaign would be overwhelmed with ads from state and federal elections.

I read Microsoft’s comments as to mean that the opponents having no plan. Which is accurate. In every transit election 1968 opponents have argued for a network of buses in their own right-of-way — and after the election, no plan is delivered for consideration. Just last year a major roads and transit vote failed and we’ve yet to hear a plan from the opposition. The Eastside Transportation Association released a map — they haven’t identified operating costs, frequencies, stations, capital investments. Respectfully, I think they made a pretty looking map to try to win an election.

Voters are tired of getting jostled around. Proposition 1 delivers a 17% increase in express bus service in 2009 — immediately, because we do need relief now. Sounder commuter rail service is boosted by 65%. These are more immediate ways of delivering near-term relief and keeping our highways moving.

But the long-term solution is investing on a transit network that is separate from traffic and doesn’t depend on fossil fuels — both for the environment and the bottom line. Expanded light rail is that long-term solution.

Ridesharing and carpooling are indeed admirable alternatives to driving alone, but I don’t believe that they can be expected to be the backbone of our region’s transit network. Carpooling and ridesharing should be encouraged in addition to building a mass transit network featuring light rail and express bus service.

Your original post implies that traffic will be worse if Proposition 1 passes. I feel the opposite. Our current levels of bus and Sounder service aren’t enough, and our reliance on buses that stuck in the same traffic as everyone else isn’t sustainable. We need to expand bus and Sounder service, and we need to build out our light rail network.
http://www.debrasinick.com Debra Sinick

Ride sharing and car pooling are both terrific ways people can contribute to reducing our transportation problems, but, I agree, they cannot be the full answer.

I do believe, as I said before, that traffic will not improve if it is going to take another 15 years for a major change to our transportation system. Let’s resolve the traffic issues more quickly and more inexpensively with a better express bus system. This is the plan Sound Transit and King County should work on together.
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