crosscut.com : Sound Transit

Is Sound Transit really one of 'the world's biggest boondoggles'?

Crosscut — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:00:01 PDT

A new magazine called Miller-McCune has compiled a list of "The World's Biggest Boondoggles," and right up there in fourth place is Seattle's Sound Transit Link Light Rail (phase 1, not the proposal we'll vote on next November). Here's the dishonorable mention:

Seattle, you ignorant SLUT

Crosscut — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:00:01 PDT

Oregonian columnist Steve Duin has fun feeling superior to Seattle, calling the Big Bad City to the North "a mass transit basket case." But he does find something to praise, even if he drips with condescension, and that's the Seattle Streetcar, fondly known as the SLUT. Duin likes the idea, a steal from Portland, of course, not because it's a serious transit solution but because the name is so funny.

The campaign for Sound Transit will be 'going Facebook'

Crosscut — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:00:01 PDT

Big and corporate didn't do it for last year's roads and transit measure, so the hurry-up, cash-starved campaign for Sound Transit 2 will be Internet-based and volunteer-driven.

Sausage Links, 'you'll shoot your Eyman out' edition

Crosscut — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:41:01 PDT

Ballot king Tim Eyman had to be happy to see Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Joel Connelly say his traffic congestion measure, Initiative 985, "might be on to something" and deserved a "closer look." Unfortunately for Eyman, the Office of Fiscal Management released a report today stating the initiative would, among other things, cost the state $668.6 million already going to current congestion relief projects, cost the state $324.6 million to implement, cost the Washington State Arts Commission $500,000 over the next five years, and increase the state's budget deficit by an estimated $290 million. The Washington Policy Center Blog has the full breakdown. Meanwhile, David Goldstein at Horse's Ass points out that I-985 would be one more reason Eastern Washington voters would continue to hate Seattle. ...

Seattle's money madness

Crosscut — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:00:01 PDT

The region is facing an economic slowdown, multiple budget crises, and big tax increases. Without a rapid, realistic response by voters and policy makers, November could be ugly.

The parade of foolishness

Crosscut — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:38:01 PDT

We're into August, which can be a dazzling month in the Northwest, with many things to enjoy and be thankful for: brilliant sunsets, fresh air, sparkling forests and water, music and arts festivals in places large and small, and, not least, an economy that is comparatively stronger than the rest of the country's. But concerns and irritations conspire to break the spell.

In Seattle, let the people 'chill'

Crosscut — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:00:01 PDT

Politicians have resorted to some some pretty childish arguments in defense of policies in recent days.

Vision 2040 for Pugetopolis

Crosscut — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:00:01 PDT

An urban geographer uses un-rose-tinted glasses in peering into the crystal ball. He finds that we will not be able to do much about growing income segregation, congestion, gentrification in Seattle, and leapfrog development. Nor will rail transit help make things better.

The good, the bad, and the vexing

Crosscut — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:14:01 PDT

Here are start-of-week cheers and Bronx cheers. First, the good stuff: Dave Niehaus in the Baseball Hall of Fame and justice at Fort Lawton.

From Whidbey to Seattle via ferry and rail

Crosscut — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:12:01 PDT

As a Whidbey Islander living in Langley, Wash., I won't be able to vote for the Sound Transit levy in November. But as somebody who uses mass transit whenever possible, I'm hoping it passes. I worked for Metro Transit three decades ago when voters turned down an important levy, one that could have changed the face of transportation in our region.

A dramatic vote in favor of a rail transit plan

Crosscut — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:00:01 PDT

The weight of 40 years of paralysis about transit planning played a role in the Sound Transit decision to try one more time to convince the voters of the need for more light rail.

Sausage Links, transit migraine edition —Â part deux

Crosscut — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:00:01 PDT

Want to know if the new light rail line will stop in your neck of the woods? Any minute now, the Sound Transit board is expected to approve this map of proposed transit routes to be placed on the ballot. For now, here's the buzz:

Sausage Links, transit migraine edition

Crosscut — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:00:01 PDT

Ready to pay $6.85 round-trip to drive across the 520 bridge? Me neither. That's the proposed toll that would raise money to help pay for improvements to the floating fossil. But the idea of a toll begs another question, something I've been dying to get reader input about: Do you think having a toll on local bridges like 520 will sway voters to vote for the proposed light rail measure this November? Thoughts?

Fixing our big flat tire

Crosscut — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:00:01 PDT

Sound Transit, the Viaduct, 520, the Mercer Mess — everywhere you turn, there's a Puget Sound transportation problem awaiting solution. It's time for citizens to demand leadership from leaders and to push for reform of agencies and even government.

Sausage Links, early week late edition

Crosscut — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:14:01 PDT

Seattle Times political reporter David Postman makes an interesting point about Evergreen Progress PAC's latest two TV ads attacking former Republican State Senator Dino Rossi. The ads allege that Rossi "voted to freeze teacher pay" and "voted to cut state funds to reduce class sizes" when he was in office. But, as Postman notes, "so did a majority of the Legislature that year in budget-cutting moves originally proposed by Democratic Gov. Gary Locke." In 2003 the Washington Education Assocation "actually had some good things to say about Rossi's role in budget negotiations." ...

Sausage Links, pot, farms, and medicine edition

Crosscut — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:58:01 PDT

Count on the alt-weeklies to provide blow-by-blow coverage of the recent ~~medical marijuana bust~~ illegal search and seizure. Dominic Holden at The Stranger has the story about the incident — along with copies of the police report and the arresting officer's search warrant. According to the reports, Seattle Police officers tore down a wall while searching for an illegal pot-growing operation that didn't exist, while seizing bags of marijuana and medical records. The folks at Seattlest would like to remind the SPD that medical marijuana has been legal in Washington for nearly 10 years. ...

Sausage Links, fancy-pants luncheon edition

Crosscut — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:21:01 PDT

The Queen of fist-bumps, New Yorker cover girl Michelle Obama, is in Seattle today to headline a fundraiser for Gov. Chris Gregoire. The event is expected to bring in $400,000 for Gregoire's re-election campaign. Seattle Times chief political reporter David Postman will have live coverage of the event as it develops, while Eli Sanders at the Stranger already has pictures from the WaMu Theater. ...

Sound Transit showdown

Crosscut — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:00:01 PDT

The votes for a 2008 submission of a $15 billion package now are almost there, thanks to some last-minute concessions to Snohomish County. The election will be risky, but the transit agency faces greater risk by waiting until 2010.

Sausage Links, cougar-hunting edition

Crosscut — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:28:01 PDT

Praise the Lord and release the hounds — because our good state Legislature has enacted a law which makes it legal once again to use dogs to hunt cougars. Now, I didn't even know cougar hunting was legal in Washington — minus Cougars wearing crimson — but apparently, it is. While the bill was actually passed by the Legislature in February, the Department of Fish and Wildlife will hold a public meeting on Friday to discuss whether the pilot program should continue for another three years.

Meanwhile, Micheal Reitz of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation has compiled a list of some other curious laws enacted by the Washington Legislature this year. My personal favorite: Violators may face up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail for selling raw or unprocessed huckleberries without a permit.

At the top floors, the high and mighty are in denial

Crosscut — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:00:01 PDT

It's time for New York magazine editors, Seattle bank executives, and Puget Sound transportation leaders to exit their elevators — at the lobby level.