I’ll see you guys in 6 weeks!

The following highlights feedback received from community members who attended the four streetcar forums in July 2008. The forums were held to present the preliminary concept route map for streetcars, and then discuss details associated with the line through each of the neighborhoods. The four forums were held for: the Central Line, Ballard/Fremont Line, University Line, and First Hill/Capitol Hill Line.

The first section below presents general comments that would apply to all of the potential lines. It lists the Pros and Cons heard at the forums. Then for all lines as well as the individual lines, questions raised by attendees are listed.

All Lines
Pro:
~Seattle needs all forms of alternative transportation.
~Great mode to connect neighborhoods.
~Streetcars can help Seattle accommodate projected growth for next 30 to 40 years.
~Streetcars are earth friendly, with a smaller carbon footprint.
~Many will ride a streetcar that won’t ride a bus.

Con:
~Tracks are a tripping hazard for bicyclists.
~LID assessments would adversely affect businesses in neighborhoods.
~Streetcars cannot be diverted if there is an incident that blocks the street.
~Streetcars are affected by congestion on a street unless they run in an exclusive right-of-way.

Questions that pertain to all lines:
* How does a streetcar compare to other modes of transit (e.g., buses, electric trolleys, rail in exclusive right of way)?
* How will a streetcar affect the zoning around stations?
* How can we integrate the system to avoid redundancy?

Central Line

Pro:
~Build it now, we need many different forms of transportation.
~Many growing communities in Little Saigon/ID would be served by the Streetcar.
~LID taxes more than covered by the increase in property values

Con:
~More expensive than trolley buses
~Use money for improvements in current system
~Streetcar will be just another partially-funded transportation system.

* What effect would streetcar have on 1st Avenue parking?
* Would streetcar increase congestion along 1st Avenue?
* Can parking be removed and traffic moved to curb lanes to provide an exclusive center lane for the streetcar?
* Could the route be located on a portion of Western Avenue? Or use both Western and 1st Avenues to provide a loop?
* Would the 1st Avenue line replace the Waterfront line?
* Could the line be extended 31st Avenue E & Jackson Street?
* Could the line be extended in the future south into Rainier Valley?
* Could the line be extended in the future south into SODO?
* How would streetcar operate through the “Free Ride” zone?

Ballard/Fremont Line

Pro:
~Fund it, and build the extension to the Zoo
~Build it – need political will to do this
~Streetcars can help take DUIs off the road
~We need dedicated rail – buses can’t do this
~Streetcars will create livable, walkable communities and influence positve zoning

Con:
~Streetcars are limited by slope/grade
~Could tax small businesses out of the area
~Ballard already has good transportation to Downtown
~Streetcars cannot be diverted if there is an accident
~This will not work without dedicated lanes

* Is Dexter Avenue a better route alignment for the streetcar than Westlake Avenue?
* Could line be extended to the Ballard Locks?
* Would gentrification around streetcar line affect industrial businesses in Ballard?
* Would parking on Westlake Avenue be affected by streetcar line?

Note: Many attendees both at the Ballard Forum and University Forum expressed interest in a line that would connect east-west between these two neighborhoods.

University Line

Pro:
~Should invest in eco-friendly transit mode - streetcar can do this
~Streetcars offer greater comfort

Con:
~Eastlake is already so skinny – this is going to create problems for parking and bicycles
~NE District Council is opposed to Streetcar
~U-District may not have as much development potential as SLU or Fremont-Ballard
~The Ave underwent an overhaul, and it’s too much strain on business to come back through with construction

* Would Roosevelt/11th Avenue or 15th Avenue be possible routes instead of University Way?
* How would tracks affect parking and bicycles on Eastlake Avenue?
* Does the route duplicate service provided by LINK?
* How would streetcar affect existing Route 70 service? (There was substantial concern related to replacing the Route 70 with streetcar since it would then require a transfer to access areas south of Westlake Station.)

First Hill/Capitol Hill Line

Pro:
~This line is experiencing new growth and development; Streetcar is needed
~Streetcar Alliance supports, but would like line to run on 12th Avenue

Con:
~Boren is too steep for Streetcar

* Can a direct connection between First Hill and the heart of downtown be provided? (Note: Original Streetcar Alliance proposal included an east-west line that connected Seattle University, the Medical Centers on First Hill, and downtown via Union Street, Seneca Street & 8th Avenue. It returned to Capitol Hill on Pike or Pine Streets.)
* Could route use 12th Avenue instead of Boren Avenue and Broadway?
* What streets have the best grades for streetcar?
* How can streetcar line integrate with the proposed reconstruction of Yesler Terrace?

Update: Black minivan…3 people hit…one person on the way to hospital unconscious. Two trapped.

Update: Northwest Cable News and Seattle LJ (originally but has since edited) that the incident was a car hitting 3 cyclists. Ryan on the scene: “can neither confirm nor deny. I didn’t see any bikes but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any. Although, they pulled big boots off of the guy I took a picture of…he definitely wasn’t dressed for cycling.”

Update: Seattle PI Blog states:

A 60-year-old man died early Wednesday evening after an accident involving a Ford van and a pedicab near Western Avenue and Cedar Street.
Details were few after the crash, which happened about 7 p.m. A woman in her 60s – the wife of the dead man, according to a Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman – was rushed to Harborview Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
The 23-year-old pedicab driver was also taken to Harborview with non-life-threatening injuries.

Ryan: “Heard cop rush past me on cell phone say, ‘Yeah, I’m here and this is a *terrible* motherf**king accident.‘” and “Also heard fireman yell over to a medic ‘You better hurry up! This isn’t good!‘”

Last update via Komo4:

Witnesses said the pedicab, with the name Cascadia Cabs, was heading west on Cedar towards Western with its two passengers when it ran a red light. The driver was screaming, as if he had lost control of the vehicle.

Seattle police later confirmed that there was an equipment failure on the pedicab that contributed to the accident

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Photo behind cut

The Army Reserve’s citizen-soldiers are celebrating a century of service this year, and the regional headquarters in Seattle invites the public to help celebrate with festivities at the Hiram Chittenden Locks in Ballard this Saturday.

The 70th Army Band and the 104th Division Band will team up for an afternoon of music from noon to 5 p.m., weaving historical music from the last century of the Reserve’s existence with jazz, dance, concert and rock and roll.

Via Seattle Times

Photo by lastrandy

Apparently enough people have. City Council just voted in favor of a new $38 fine for moving a scooter.

“We cannot tolerate this behavior in Seattle at a time when we want to make it easier for people to use alternative transportation,” said Councilmember Jan Drago, whose Transportation Committee recommended the measure.

I will be a scooter owner later this year and this very issue has concerned me enough that I will be renting a parking space in my apartment building in order to avoid incidents. Not only do people move scooters, but they also bump them with their cars, causing superficial and mechanical damage.

Source

WSDOT has concluded that the aging 520 bridge is in good condition (all things considered) but found multiple small cracks throughout it’s surface. As long as the damn thing doesn’t sink while I’m on it, I can deal with some signs of aging.

This morning, I rode my bicycle down the backside of Capitol Hill to the UW. Traveling at 30mph (the speed limit down the hill), I need to focus ahead to ensure that I don’t jam my tire into a rut or misalignment in the pavement while also keeping an eye on cross-traffic and pedestrians. A driver traveling in the left lane rolled down his window and screamed at me “GET OFF THE STREET B***H!” without provocation. I was shocked. Did this stem from the Critical Mass situation?

Regardless of which side you choose, bicycles and driver will have to continue to share the road. There are a few things that we as a whole can do to make this easier for everyone. The main one is to be considerate of others.

Cyclists: ride as predictable as possible. Use hand signals, don’t swerve between cars, pull to the side if you’re holding up traffic, and stop blowing through red lights. Sidewalk riding is legal, but yield to pedestrians and ride at a low level of speed (3-7mph is usually what I ride at).

Drivers: cyclists are aware that you are right next to them so act predictable. Don’t blow your horn or yell, it could cause an accident. If the bicycle is moving slower than the flow of traffic, pass when it is safe to do so. There is no need to punch the gas pedal, race ahead, then slam on the brakes to prove a point.

My rule of thumb has been the same for the 2 1/2 years that I have been biking around Seattle: bikes vs cars in an accident results in the car winning almost every time. It’s not worth my life. It’s also not worth aggravation/impatience/high blood pressure when a car or a bicycle delays my trip for a few minutes. If everyone cooperated together, respected each other, and became aware of one another, these kinds of incidents wouldn’t happen nearly as often. I am not taking sides here, I am making a stand to continue sharing the road whether I am the driver or riding my bicycle.

I love water like nothing else. We arrived at Husum Falls in time to watch plenty of rafters heading over this class IV waterfall. We traveled 5 miles upriver to BZ Corner to the launch. From there, a series of class III and class IV rapids keep riders on their toes, with space in between to admire the beautiful scenery.

Nearing the falls, our guide (who is also incidentally my sister’s new boss) had us practice maneuvers until he felt satisfied that we could handle it. Approaching the falls, the first thing I noticed was the crowd of spectators on the bridge and banks lining the river watching the carnage. Paddling furiously up the falls, Mike yelled “Down!”, we grabbed the rope, wedged ourselves between the seats, and took a deep breath.

It feels like 30 seconds go by before the water closes in over your head. The water seems to have a mind of its own, grabbing at you, trying to pull you out of the boat. A gallon of water is forced up the sinuses and you can’t tell which way is up. All in all, it only took 6 seconds from the top of the falls until the raft pops back out of the water, at least according to the video I saw afterward. We made it clean through this time, coming out of the water in time to hear the cheering of the crowd.

We ran the route a second time, though we weren’t as successful with the falls this time around. We missed the correct alignment by just a few feet, but it was enough to flip the raft. Luckily, we had someone running safety and he tossed us a line. Even experiencing the carnage firsthand, I loved every minute of it. If you haven’t been before, there are plenty of more-local places to go. Suggestions for a really great section of river? Let me know in the comments.

Highway 520 tolls:4 options
TOLLS TO CROSS THE FLOATING BRIDGE would be less if they begin in 2010, or more if the state waits until 2016, when a new bridge is supposed to be finished, a state study says. These examples are for one-way travel.
Toll current bridge in 2010, new bridge in 2016: Morning peak $2.15; afternoon peak $2.95; midday $1.05.
Toll new 520 bridge in 2016: Morning peak $3.05; afternoon peak $3.80; midday $2.10.
Toll new 520 and existing I-90 bridges, in 2016: Morning peak $2.60; afternoon peak $3.25; midday $2.10.
Toll 520 bridge in 2010, and I-90 bridge in 2016: same as preceding option.

* ALL PRICES IN 2007 DOLLARS (Via Seattle Times)

When parts of I-5 closed for repair, commuters utilized a variety of different methods to avoid long backups. These methods consisted of carpooling, working from home, using public transit, and driving during off-peak hours. I wouldn’t be surprised if more companies introduced employee bus passes/rideshare options, or perhaps offer commuter buses ala Microsoft’s Connector.

Google Maps now allows “walking” directions in Seattle. Check it out!