I've all but joined the "nothing I say is going to make a difference so I might as well stop worrying about it" crowd.

In the end, they all add up to tax subsidies of oil-based single-passenger vehicles. Thus, the least cost option that gives the most capacity is the best.

Which, since the politicos killed Surface Plus Transit - and they did - means the Viaduct rebuild is the wisest choice since it's the most easily upgradeable for transit.

As even the Gov admits.

Now if we could get Daniel Clowes to illustrate the various species, as another poster suggested, it would be perfect.

I think we're all slowing moving into the Realist Defetus camp.

At this point, it's hard to care after dealing with what's generously called the Seattle / State of WA political "process." Psychologists call it "learned helplessness."

All hail the glorious new Chopp Chopp Freeway.

where would you go?

London.

sadly, the words "erica" and "well-written" are sunni-shiite-level enemies on this issue. facts ignored indeed.

That said, the NoLa refugees were a welcome addition at the Fremont Arts Council fundraiser Voodou Carnivale this weekend.

Jason - sorry, disagree.

Now Fnarf, as someone who enjoys Vancouver B.C. and is one of only three
or four Seattlites who can actually name the premier of B.C., I would like to know how you came to the conclusion one's standard of living goes down once you cross our northern border. Care to fess up?

---Jensen

Secret Desire: to go kick the teeth in of the next Rodus Rebuilus that says that 'Seattle is completely different from Vancouver.

Residents aren't paid that well. Thankfully, New York is more than Manhattan. Depending upon which hospitals I'd have to deal with, I'd shoot for Hudson Heights, the Bronx, Queens or Brooklyn. That's what makes real rapid mass transit so pleasant: one can live in a more affordable part of the region and still make it into work.

Heh. Jason, I can definitely state that I am not Erica, nor have I met Erica in person. She is also a better writer than I am.

Of course, there are tradeoffs, and you'll live in a smaller house but you'll have better health care.

I've lived in San Jose, without a car, no less; I know exactly what a crushing experience it is.

For all the bitching about Seattle, just remember: you could have been born in Minneapolis, too, and on top of all the same tranist problems, had snow and bitter cold to deal with.

Fer Chrissakes Fnarf, a pretty narrow set of criteria. What about some of Canada's and B.C.'s other assets?

---Jensen

Did anyone notice the governor selected the six lane option?

How is I-5 south of the Ship Canal bridge NOT going to be a parking lot with three lanes of 520 traffic pouring into it, half of which are merging to the Mercer exit?

(Glancing at the plans, I didn't see any evidence that the 520 to Mercer merger mess is going to be fixed.)

Yeah, but only for a while. I'll be gone during construction. ;p The pleasures of training.

I acutally own a place (after a lot of saving and scary loans) on Capitol Hill where I intend to settle permanently.

(BTW, you nearly had me convinced there for a mini-retrofit while the light rail gets completed. Then I realized that no good idea will ever happen, and learned to love the bomb.)

Of course, if I lived there, my own standard of living would quickly drop to zero, because I would be unable to control myself from eating at Vij's every single night until the money ran out and I was divorced, obese and homeless.

Will, I am may be eternally flammed
for the following comments, and I am
donning my racing nomex now, however...

I have found women in Canada and
Vancouver B.C in particular, to be far better educated, much more cosmopolitian, fitter, more impressively coutured and damn more interesting to be with than their U.S., and in particular, Seattle counterparts. Yes, I do believe I am correct in stating, the grass IS greener on the other side of the fence.

---Jensen

Well Fnarf, please contact me when or if this occurs. I know of several cable stayed bridges, located in the lower B.C. mainland, under which you can find a home...and all close to 11th West.

---Jensen

One thing about all of the West Seattle bashing though. In case you did not know this, West Seattle is a very big portion of the city's land mass (about 1/5th or 1/6th) and is comprised of about 40 different neighborhoods. It also includes several of the most affordable neighborhoods in the whole city. Everyone who lives in West Seattle (be it Alki, Admiral, Alaska Junction, Belvedere, High Point, Morgan Junction, Arbor Heights, Westwood Village, White Center, Delridge, etc. etc.) depends on the Viaduct daily. Many of whom ride the bus on the Viaduct daily. The quickest route is 15-20 minutes (Junction to 1st & Union, most of the rest are certainly longer bus trips.

You might think it was an ill advised decision for these 60,000 plus residents to move to West Seattle but I hope you can't be trying to say that all of these people should be expected to move out of West Seattle or face commute times that would be worse than living in Issaquah or Fall City.

It would be like bringing down I-5 if you lived in the University District, Wallingford, Freemont, Sand Point, Northgate, Lake City, Greenlake, Shorewood, Ravenna, Maple leaf, Hawthorne Hills, etc. etc.) Sure, everybody could take 23rd Avenue or Aurora but it would mean that it would take you a very long time to get there.

We could all move downtown or to Capitol Hill but if you think housing prices are bad now just wait until you have 60,000 additional residents to compete with. Another choice would be to lose your funky cool places like Cha Cha and Bimbo's to make way for more dense housing and add more stock in the center city.

West Seattle is not some tiny little part of Seattle. It will have great impacts on a large number of Seattle residents and their daily quality of life issues. People purchase homes based on some assumptions. Sure, those assumptions can change. But you are treating it like its a small little community of a few thousand people.