INSIST ON RAPID TRANSIT

DEAR EDITOR: Erica Barnett hit the nail on the head in the article "Blowing Smoke" [Nov 2]. Amazing—once again The Stranger beats the Seattle Times, the Post-Intelligencer, and other mainstream media on a major story.

But it is not just Mayor Nickels who fails to take global warming and rapid transit seriously. Nearly all of our transportation leaders are united behind the current unstated "master plan," which is to spend $15 billion–$20 billion on rebuilding all key highway chokepoints perhaps in a slightly wider form, while only building the one north-south light-rail line and one light-rail line out to the Eastside.

This is not enough; rebuilding our major highways as highways-only projects will only cause more global warming and congestion, without enhancing mobility.

To increase capacity and protect the environment, we need a new approach: Every key highway rebuild must have a rail rapid-transit component also. This "multimodal master plan" would mean agencies work together instead of engaging in intermodal warfare. It would mean the SR-99 viaduct replacement would also have a rail component. The SR-520 bridge rebuild should have a rail link from opening day, not far off into the future as currently planned. Finally, we should insist on rapid rail transit north-south on the Eastside, too, which can be put on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe right of way.

If Mayor Nickels, the governor, and others want to claim credit as environmentalists, they must drop the 1950s-ish highways-only approach to our key corridors and put in a multiline regional rapid rail system like so many other regions enjoy. We can't claim to be leaders on global warming with highways-only designs for most of our major transportation projects.

Cleve Stockmeyer

INSIST ON ACTION

ERICA: Thanks for your story "Blowing Smoke." For almost a year now, several of us have been talking about the "greenness" of Seattle and how our mayor loves to talk a good game.

I went to school in Berkeley. I lived in San Francisco for years (and still miss it!), so I am familiar with what other cities do. "Do" is the operative word; we talk.

The only thing green about so many of Nickels's projects is the price tag. Thanks for your coverage.

Kathy Nyland

NICKELS AIN'T NO ROCK STAR

EDITOR: Halle-f-ing-lujah! Barnett has beautifully articulated what is wrong with our mayor—he is a posturing hypocrite! From his greenhouse-gas reduction initiative that briefly gave him "rock-star" status, to his ridiculous tunnel vision, to his 24/7 city, to his giving away of height and density bonuses downtown when they could have been leveraged for much more productive goals (TDRs for instance). Mayor Nickels is steering this city in the wrong direction and Barnett has done a tremendous job at pointing out all of his inconsistencies.

Michael Hintze

FROM BIG SKY COUNTRY

ELI: Thanks for the excellent article on Jon Tester ["Left in the West," Nov 2]. Your writing gives me great hope in an otherwise dreary political landscape. I do hope, and suspect, that your analysis of the scene here is accurate. Very perceptive. Just one thing: better try ordering coffee, or a morning beer, next time you go to the M & M!

Oh, and one more thing: The real test of your hypothesis is to come to Billings and test the waters here. Montana gets more red the farther east you go, sorta like Washington and Oregon. (My son lives in Astoria, markedly different from Eastern Oregon.) But it's changing even here.

Paul Whiting

Billings, Montana

I recommended THESTRANGER.COM

STRANGER: Hey, I recently visited Seattle for a few days (from San Francisco) and saw the print version—now that I am back home I decided to check you out online. I must say, good work. I really like the layout of your website: highly accessible and with funky characters. The print version is pretty much like the San Francisco Bay Guardian, but your online version is definitely better. Keep it up!

Tonghua

SARCASM GETS YOU EVERYWHERE

EDITOR: Awesome, that story "Pumpkin Smashing" [Oct 26] you had in The Stranger was way cool! I was trippin' when that kid stuck the pitchfork in his dad's head and didn't even know it was really his old man and stuff. I think it's wicked that you took a chance and, like, published a story that a 15-year-old kid wrote in your paper. Kudos, dudes, for listening to the voice of today's youth, and, like, really supporting us.

Glen G

DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS: In last week's issue, it was reported that Band of Horses would be moving to Charleston, North Carolina. In fact, the band is moving to Charleston, South Carolina. We regret the error.