Seattle Sound Transit Light Rail Link

[citruspastels]

Originally Posted by UrbanBen

Everyone says design/build, design/build. We don't get federal grants without design done.

What is stopping them from getting the design done now? Do they really need voter approval for that?

[UrbanBen]

Originally Posted by citruspastels

What is stopping them from getting the design done now? Do they really need voter approval for that?

It's a waste of money to design when you don't even know what property you're going to be able to buy, or what you're going to be able to afford.

[taiwanesedrummer36]

I thought construction was going to begin either this year or next?

[UrbanBen]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

I thought construction was going to begin either this year or next?

Oh, of University Link? That's designed now. But you realize how long it's been in "pre-production"?

I meant East Link.

[PDXPaul]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABP...2004157186.pdf


Sound Transit shortens its light-rail ambitions

By Mike Lindblom

Seattle Times transportation reporter

Sound Transit's next ballot measure could offer less light rail, more commuter trains, and more buses than Proposition 1, the Roads & Transit measure voters rejected in November.

Transit officials have not decided on a plan, or whether it would go to voters this year, or in 2010. But the latest concept, released Thursday by the transit agency, includes:

• Light-rail extensions by 2020 to reach Northgate and Kent-Des Moines Road — shorter than the Proposition 1 goals of reaching north Lynnwood and downtown Tacoma. But an east line would still stretch from Seattle to Overlake.

• An Everett streetcar.

• Extensions of downtown Tacoma light-rail, west to Tacoma Community College.

• Bus-rapid transit between Snohomish County and a Northgate freeway station. From there, morning commuters could stay on the bus to downtown Seattle. Or, they could walk on a pedestrian bridge across Interstate 5, to meet light-rail trains bound for the University of Washington and Capitol Hill.

• Possible short diesel trains on the Eastside, from Woodinville to north Renton.

• A boost in Sounder service south of Seattle, from the currently funded nine weekday round trips to a total 15 round trips.

[BoulderGrad]

Hmmm... To Northgate and Bellevue by 2020?... Not great, but not bad. Hopefully by then, when people are paying $8.00/gal for gas, and driving from Lynwood to downtown takes 2 hours, support will be through the roof for more extensions.

[citruspastels]

glad to hear about the streetcar for everett but what about ours!

[BoulderGrad]

Originally Posted by citruspastels

glad to hear about the streetcar for everett but what about ours!

They dont mention ours because this is sound transit. Our street cars would be a Metro KC venture.

[mokocoko]

Seattle Transit blog has a nice update of the proposals:

http://seatrans.blogspot.com/2008/01...-workshop.html

[UrbanBen]

Originally Posted by mokocoko

Seattle Transit blog has a nice update of the proposals:

http://seatrans.blogspot.com/2008/01...-workshop.html

Thanks!

[taiwanesedrummer36]

Just some questions:

- What exactly is their definition of all-day BRT? What basics will the BRT lines consist of?
- Are they really considering adding a Ballard and Broad Street Sounder stations? I thought those were cancelled.
- Will Sound Transit form some partnership with KCM and CT to provide BRT on SR 99 that doesn't require a transfer at Aurora TC?
- Everett Streetcar?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
- What will the Tacoma Link expansion consist of? Will it be Central Link technology or will it still be streetcar technology?
- Will Sounder extension to Dupont be after 2020 (based on the info released)? It is because of demand or funding?

Otherwise, i'm most likely in favor of this plan.

[mokocoko]

Originally Posted by taiwanesedrummer36

Just some questions:

- What exactly is their definition of all-day BRT? What basics will the BRT lines consist of?
- Are they really considering adding a Ballard and Broad Street Sounder stations? I thought those were cancelled.
- Will Sound Transit form some partnership with KCM and CT to provide BRT on SR 99 that doesn't require a transfer at Aurora TC?
- Everett Streetcar?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
- What will the Tacoma Link expansion consist of? Will it be Central Link technology or will it still be streetcar technology?
- Will Sounder extension to Dupont be after 2020 (based on the info released)? It is because of demand or funding?

Otherwise, i'm most likely in favor of this plan.

1) BRT means many things to many people. The only unifying definition is that it is at least "express bus". In Seattle, it tends to mean bus that runs often and makes few stops. In places like LA, they sometimes have dedicated right-of-way. Seattle, no such thing.
2) Those are possible, though Broad Street is unlikely because there is no place to stop a train there without blocking hella streets.
3) yes
4) Tacoma link already exists, and is the same technology as the Seattle Streetcar and the portland streetcar
5) Possibly those two, plus lack of right-of-way on the BNSF railway.

[BoulderGrad]

Haha, someone posted this on the subways thread, i thought it was pretty cool. Its a metro simulator. Its all in Italian, so it takes a bit to figure out whats going on, but mighty addictive:

http://www.o-zoners.com/metro.asp

[citruspastels]

Originally Posted by BoulderGrad

They dont mention ours because this is sound transit. Our street cars would be a Metro KC venture.

I speak of the First Hill streetcar proposed in ST2. You know, since they got snubbed and all?

[Tcmetro]

It would be good too see the Sounder go all the way to Olympia one day.

For LRT, it is a good plan, put in 2015-2020 another vote should happen for Tacoma and Everett LRT Extensions. After all the goal is to get Everett, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Seattle connected by Rail.

Sounder has a good plan also. I think that 5-10 more trips should be considered in a vote after ST2.1.

The UPS-TCC Streetcar will free up the Pierce Transit Route 1 buses for other routes. I read in a PT report that several new superroutes (those with High Frequencies) should begin service sometime in the next several years.

Also Routes 510 and 594 need better frequencies. These routes could use buses from the 550 line, as it will be cancelled with the introduction of Light Rail. An LRT spur to Eastgate should be considered, although it probably would not do well if it does not go to Issaquah. If a Subway or an El is constructed in Bellevue, Sounder East should be rerouted onto the LINK section in Bellevue. This solves the problem of the trains being too far from Downtown Bellevue. If there is a subway in DT Blvue. Sounder East would have to be a EMU or Dual-Mode train.

[sequoias]

Originally Posted by Tcmetro

Also Routes 510 and 594 need better frequencies. These routes could use buses from the 550 line, as it will be cancelled with the introduction of Light Rail. An LRT spur to Eastgate should be considered, although it probably would not do well if it does not go to Issaquah. If a Subway or an El is constructed in Bellevue, Sounder East should be rerouted onto the LINK section in Bellevue. This solves the problem of the trains being too far from Downtown Bellevue. If there is a subway in DT Blvue. Sounder East would have to be a EMU or Dual-Mode train.

yes in the proposal it says EMU for Sounder East.

[citruspastels]

my bad. it looks like the first hill streetcar is included on the maps.

[WaTransportation]

Here is a video of Link in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. It does have sound. My good buddy is operating the 104 in this video =)

http://www.soundtransit.org/x5492.xml

[WaTransportation]

The Eastside Commuter Rail would be DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit), not EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) This line is to be done on the "cheap" and factoring in $2-3 million per mile for a Overhead Contact System wouldn't be cheap for 39 miles.

I wouldn't mind getting the Siemens Desiro Classic DMU or EMU's though =)

[sequoias]

Originally Posted by WaTransportation

The Eastside Commuter Rail would be DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit), not EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) This line is to be done on the "cheap" and factoring in $2-3 million per mile for a Overhead Contact System wouldn't be cheap for 39 miles.

I wouldn't mind getting the Siemens Desiro Classic DMU or EMU's though =)

I probably was dreaming or something. EMU would be really nice, though.