Category Archives: Rail

Seattle Bus Restructure Takes Effect, And an Ode to the 70-Series

Last Saturday, one week after two new light rail stations opened in Seattle, King County Metro implemented its major service change intended to more efficiently connect people with the stations. The changes consist of new, revised, and deleted routes mostly … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Editorial, Rail, Transportation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

University Link Opens To Great Fanfare

Twenty years ago, when voters first approved Sound Move, the idea of rapid rail transit in Seattle was only a fuzzy concept. It was something that had been declined by 1960s voters and only the oldest residents might have recalled … Continue reading

Posted in Density, Land Use, Megaprojects, Mixed Use, Public Art, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

First Hill Streetcar Opens with Lessons for Future Lines

Seattle’s new streetcar route, theĀ First Hill line, finally opened on Saturday. Despite the cold and rain, months of tantalizingly empty test runs and the promise of free rides drew large crowds along the entire route. The new line runs from … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Cars, Land Use, Parking, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Tale of My Epic Transit Failure

If you saw a large good-looking man with a duffel bag sprinting through Seattle’s Roosevelt neighborhood in desperate search of a car2go on a crisp morning in April, that was me. That the car wasnā€™t where it was supposed to … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Cars, Ferries, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Finding the Burke-Gilman Trail’s Missing Link

On Thursday night the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) hosted an open house on the alternatives for completing the unfinished part of the Burke-Gilman Trail in Ballard. The 1.4 mile “missing link” is the only incomplete portion of the trail, … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Government, Industrial, Land Use, Public Participation, Rail, Roads, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seattle Council Candidates Propose Citywide Streetcar System

Two at-large candidates for the 2015 Seattle City Council election, John Roderick and Alon Bassok, have jointly proposed a vision for a citywide municipal rail system. Documents released on Wednesday propose a 75-100 mile network built within a decade and … Continue reading

Posted in Government, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

SDOT Studying High Capacity Transit for the Roosevelt Corridor

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is studying options for transit improvements in the Roosevelt corridor between Downtown and Northgate. Although Sound Transit is currently building Link light rail in the same area, the City’s Transit Master Plan (TMP) identifies … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Cars, Land Use, Parking, Rail, Roads, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Metro Refines 2016 U-Link Connections Proposal

Today King County Metro released a more refined “Alternative 3” for how bus service can be restructured around Seattle’s two new light stations opening early next year. This proposal is a hybrid of two earlier options and incorporates a wide … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Seattle to Ask Voters for $900 Million in Transportation Funding

In November the City of Seattle will ask voters for a property tax levy to put money where their mouth is on the Move Seattle transportation vision (PDF). Approval would supplant the expiring $365 million Bridging the Gap funding with … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Cars, Parking, Rail, Roads, Schools, Sustainability, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Seattle Area 2014 Election Results

The votes are still being counted, but the early results of the 2014 election indicate good news for urbanists and transit advocates in the Puget Sound area. Here is a brief rundown on the key measures and races as of … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Government, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments