Ryan and Kenneth, a UW grad student (right): "It's really nice being able to pop up in Capitol Hill and then pop up here at the UW. ... I live in Beacon Hill, so I have to go to UW now and again for classes. I used to take the University Express, but that's going away, so I'll have to take the train now. It'll be more reliable and faster. I can't wait for it to go up to the U-District up at Brooklyn [Ave.] because a lot of people will use that even more than [this station]," says Kenneth.
Selina, Gabriel, Mikaele, Vito, and Raphael (center): "I worked on the light rail as an electrician. I made some of this stuff. It's my first time riding it! ... I like the way it goes inside the tunnel. It takes a moment away from all that business outside. And then all of a sudden you come in the tunnel and it's quiet," says Mikaele. "I liked the tunnels. I liked pretty much liked everything, [but] it was weird going backwards [from Capitol Hill]," says Raphael.
"We live in Puyallup, so hopefully it'll come that way. But if you come to Huskies football games, you just go to the park and ride, it's so easy and convenient. ... But we're for WSU," says Vito.
David and Grant (right): "I just had foot surgery, so I'm more conscious of disability access. So I think it's a big success from what I've seen for access. It's important. ... The outdoor spaces seem very generous, too. I don't really see any obstacles or any nooks and things to get around [at this station]," says Grant. "It's a good feeling we've accomplished this when we are also looking at some of the other projects that are bogged down like 520, Bertha, and even the Seawall. It's like salve for the wound."
Matthew and Mitchell, grad student at Seattle University (right): "I came here to pick up my friend from the airport. I was going to meet him, but [I ran late]. I forgot it's opening day," Mitchell told me five minutes before Matthew arrived from Sea-Tac airport where he flew in from Chicago.
Tim (left) and Scooter (right): "I thought all of the artwork was beautiful. ... I also work in Renton, so I'm planning to take the light rail into Rainier Beach and catch the bus into Renton," says Tim. "I'll be using it myself a lot too. If I wasn't doing this just for fun today, I'd still be taking pictures in the [University of Washington] quad. ... I bet I'll be in my car half the time now," says Scooter.
Mike and Kaitlin: "I already take the light rail on a daily basis. My work pays for my ORCA card and we live really close to the Beacon Hill station," says Kaitlin. "I work at Bait Shop, but I work late. The schedule leaves here at 12:34 ... so I can't take it home. Why would I take it to work when I know I'll have to take a $15 Uber home? If I get an ORCA car for 90 bucks, I spend less on gas to drive from Beacon Hill to work. I was excited about it, but it doesn't work out for me financially or time-wise," says Mike.
Doug and Mary, volunteers at the Transit Riders Union: "This stuff needs to be more affordable. Our program right now is figuring out how low-income people can't ride Link because they get [$2.50] Human Services tickets, they don't get an ORCA card [but] you can't ride Sound Transit with a ticket. What we want to do is call attention to that. ... [Metro and Sound Transit] need to figure something out because when they've eliminated [bus] routes around the Link, which is what low-income people can use the bus tickets on, it's kind of dicey for them to get around town. We're having a ride-in on April 19th," says Mary.
