Comments on: If it’s still broke, why fix it? http://seattle.metblogs.com/2006/08/29/if-its-still-broke-why-fix-it/ Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:32:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Justin http://seattle.metblogs.com/2006/08/29/if-its-still-broke-why-fix-it/comment-page-1/#comment-2855 Justin Tue, 29 Aug 2006 23:23:47 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2006/08/29/if-its-still-broke-why-fix-it/#comment-2855 I saw it running today, so I guess they've started the tests. I was on 5th, so I couldn't really see in the windows very well, but it didn't look like there was anyone on board. I saw it running today, so I guess they’ve started the tests. I was on 5th, so I couldn’t really see in the windows very well, but it didn’t look like there was anyone on board.

]]> By: Cascadian http://seattle.metblogs.com/2006/08/29/if-its-still-broke-why-fix-it/comment-page-1/#comment-2854 Cascadian Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:03:15 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2006/08/29/if-its-still-broke-why-fix-it/#comment-2854 Now that the tourist monorail is nearing the end of its life, and the Sound Transit light rail line is destined to become the transportation backbone, maybe monorail in the city needs to reinvent itself as the feeder system for the regional line, connecting neighborhoods to downtown and other urban centers. Extend the current line to Queen Anne. Put another line up Madison to 23rd. Put a north line along 45th and Market Street connecting Ballard and U Village to points between. Maybe send a line up Lake City Way. Maybe another up Yesler or Jackson to Martin Luther King Way. These are all relatively dense corridors that are ignored or poorly served by any future light transit development. Buses along these lines could then be redirected to other areas, such as cross-town routes to West Seattle, south Seattle, and north Seattle. The key is to start small and affordable. Maybe the Westlake-Seattle Center-Queen Anne route could be approved as part of a larger Seattle Center revival effort. If it's a success, move on to the other routes. If it's not, at least the existing line will be more functional. Now that the tourist monorail is nearing the end of its life, and the Sound Transit light rail line is destined to become the transportation backbone, maybe monorail in the city needs to reinvent itself as the feeder system for the regional line, connecting neighborhoods to downtown and other urban centers.

Extend the current line to Queen Anne. Put another line up Madison to 23rd. Put a north line along 45th and Market Street connecting Ballard and U Village to points between. Maybe send a line up Lake City Way. Maybe another up Yesler or Jackson to Martin Luther King Way. These are all relatively dense corridors that are ignored or poorly served by any future light transit development. Buses along these lines could then be redirected to other areas, such as cross-town routes to West Seattle, south Seattle, and north Seattle.

The key is to start small and affordable. Maybe the Westlake-Seattle Center-Queen Anne route could be approved as part of a larger Seattle Center revival effort. If it’s a success, move on to the other routes. If it’s not, at least the existing line will be more functional.

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