Blogs Dec 7, 2009 at 9:47 am

Sound Transit Drags Its Feet on Light Rail Plans for Ballard and West Seattle

Will Kelley-Kamp
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Comments

1
remove the apostrophe, dude
on December 7, 2009 at 9:50 AM Report this
2
@ 1) That was my fault.
Dominic Holden on December 7, 2009 at 9:52 AM Report this
3
The ST board changes composition pretty drastically with the November election and new appointments. For something that became a campaign issue, perhaps the decision was made to wait until the new board is seated? Not sure on the time-line for that.
bdferris on December 7, 2009 at 10:04 AM Report this
4
If they can find a way not to serve those areas, they will.

Which is why the City has to hold their feet to the fire.
Will in Seattle on December 7, 2009 at 10:52 AM Report this
5
Sound Transit hadn't planned to start the studies for light rail to Ballard and West Seattle for another couple of years. Since Sound Transit's revenue dribbles in over time there may not be the money in the budget currently to fund a study. If the City of Seattle wants to explore putting a city funded line in to Ballard and West Seattle they may have to provide Sound Transit with the funding to do the study.

(so the short answer is "it's about money")
on December 7, 2009 at 10:56 AM Report this
6
ST is too embarassed to go forward with plans in this corridor, because it turns out that you can't get up the bridge in a light rail, you need a new bridge, and also you need elevated or else travel times are too slow with surface rail, and surface rail will take up too much street space.....so in the end, you do need elevated.

and we all know why ST leaders just can't bring themselves to say that!
on December 7, 2009 at 11:26 AM Report this
7
@6 - the bridge part is true. A wise person would realize that having a bridge over a federal waterway means you have seven layers of government to deal with, instead of the usual four ... and build UP TO the bridge and stop.

Then let political pressure build.

But we have a scarcity of wise people here .. maybe I need to get that doctorate after all ...
Will in Seattle on December 7, 2009 at 11:58 AM Report this
8
we had a study already for the monorail. selling that property was the most short sided decision made in the last ten years. Pay a shitty consultant to use the monorails studies and repackage them for ST, this isnt rocket science
meanie on December 7, 2009 at 1:24 PM Report this
9
What the hell?

Will, when you called me while researching this, I gave you enough information to have a much better post than this. You've completely ignored a number of points to make an inflammatory post that helps absolutely no one.

The money for a study isn't "freed up" - it won't be available until 2015. It's as simple as that. If McGinn wants money from Sound Transit sooner than that, he'd have to give up another project.

Sorry it's a non-story, but wow, you knew it was a non-story a month ago.
Ben Schiendelman on December 7, 2009 at 3:25 PM Report this
10
Apparently Slog comments are serious business now? WiS /researches/ his posts? Now I've heard everything.

Ben, that is some useful information. Thank you.
on December 7, 2009 at 3:50 PM Report this
11
It was McGinn who promised to have a West Seattle - Ballard light rail line on the ballot in two years, not Sound Transit. I don't see how you can accuse Sound Transit of dragging their feet on a McGinn campaign promise, hell, the guy isn't even in office yet. The ST2 documents show that the planning study for West Seattle - Ballard is scheduled for sometime around 2015, and the schedule has been that way since ST2 was voted on last year. The revenue that is coming in right now is dedicated to projects that are actually under construction and approved by the voters, if McGinn wants money spent on hypothetical projects than he'll need to get the city to pony up for it. Until that happens it is unfair to accuse ST of dragging their feet.
on December 7, 2009 at 5:49 PM Report this
12
http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/12/07…

A link to Ben's rebuttal if anyone cares to read it.
Matthew 'Anc' Johnson on December 7, 2009 at 5:52 PM Report this
13
We killed the monorail authority, not monorail technology! The route should have been sold to Sound transit. It should also be 2 lines meeting in the middle. God Seattle is retarded!
Tingleyfeeln on December 7, 2009 at 7:47 PM Report this
14
Will has a douchebag back when he was begging for money on HA, and he still is.
ser on December 7, 2009 at 10:13 PM Report this
15
Will was a douchebag back when he was begging for money on HA, and he still is.
ser on December 7, 2009 at 10:13 PM Report this
16
Tacoma to Federal Way should have priority for study over a new Ballard line, at least until Seattle voters approve $$$$$.
D. Tooley on December 8, 2009 at 8:55 AM Report this
17
This is probably the dumbest and most poorly researched thing I've ever read here. And believe you me, that is saying something.
Jason Mitchell on December 8, 2009 at 10:09 AM Report this

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