Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Transportation Light Rail Is Fucking Great
Posted by Dominic Holden on Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 3:22 PM
This morning, a gaggle of elected glad handers and reporters piled onboard a Sound Transit light-rail train for the first complete preview trip from the bus tunnel in downtown Seattle to the Tukwila station. Mayor Greg Nickels served as our tour director:
There were some weird issues with the sound system. We heard Nickels as he spoke into a microphone, then over the loud speaker in the front car, and then again from the rear car—making him sound, as Jonah puts it, like the Great and Powerful Oz… “It’s a test run, so unexpected things should be expected… expected… expected..." Nickels echoed.
Beginning July 18, the train will run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays, with slightly restricted hours on weekends, arriving every ten minutes. “I am very proud. I am busting,” said Nickels on the ride back. And again, he said, “I am busting.” But it wasn’t an echo the second time.
The train controls traffic lights along MLK, Jr Way, says Larry Phillips, county council member and Sound Transit board member. “Not 100 percent of the time,” he says, “but most of the time the train gets the right of way.” But that could be a mixed blessing: “People aren’t used to trains in Seattle,” says Nickels. “This is a very quiet train. If kids don’t look both ways, things will not be good.” When Nickels isn't speaking, it is quiet. The train ride is generally smooth—until you’re moving swiftly with traffic parallel to the freeway, and then it wobbles a bit. The train also jerks when accelerating out of stations.
Three Sounds Transit board members on the train—Nickels and county council members Phillips and Dow Constantine—talked about how long they’ve worked on the light rail and how thrilled they are that it's finally here. Phillips recalled how voters rejected the Forward Thrust ballot measure in the autumn of 1812.
Here's the tunnel heading to the Beacon Hill station, 170 feet below the surface of the earth. It’s decorated with “poly-carbon underwater life forms,” says Sound Transit spokesman Bruce Gray.
More after the jump.
This is public art in the Tukwila station. Jonah... couldn't stop talking about it.
The Basics: By December, the tracks will reach the airport (in the meantime, a shuttle bus will finish the connection from the Tukwila station). Fares range from $1.75 to $2.50, depending on how far you travel.
The Analysis: Light rail has arrived. And it is fucking great.
Two teensy criticisms: There’s nowhere to put a bike without blocking an entrance, an aisle, or the handicapped seating. (UPDATE: Sound Transit's Gray emails me to say there are hooks to hang your bike. However, at the risk of sounding like a pessimist, I doubt riders will realize they can hang their bikes, they won't want to lift their bikes, and, if they do lift them, moving bikes around people's heads on a moving train sounds frankly dangerous.) The Tukwila station is surrounded by nothing. Considering the potential for economic and housing development around the light-rail stops, this location—surrounded by freeway overpasses and a hill—misses an opportunity.
A question: What will we call this thing? Sound Transit Link Light Rain makes a fun acronym (STLLR). Stellar! Catching the “light rail” sounds gay. Nickels proposed that people call it the “Link.” Which is kinda gay and kinda Zelda-y, which is kinda cool. Do we call it “the train”? “I think people are going to say that ‘I’m going to catch the train,'” says Sound Transit's Gray.
What's next: Phillips thinks that Sound Transit should build the next link extension on the Eastside, connecting Auburn to Woodinville. Phillips, who is running for King County Executive, says, “That is appealing to voters on the Eastside.”
Share via
3
ask the folks who have lived along the light rail corridor for decades how quiet the train is, you may get a different perspective. A friend lives a block or so away from the Rainier Beach station and the noise is unbelievable. Much louder than the big trucks and gas buses that currently zip up and down MLK. She is not pleased nor are her neighbors. When I first heard it, we were having coffee in her house, with the windows and doors closed. I couldn't hear the planes or trucks but I sure could hear that train!
9
What the fuck is up with public transit in this city, that it likes to discontinue running right before bars close, when people could very much use an alternative to driving?
10
#3 - "the noise is unbelievable" ?!? You have to be joking, right? I live less than a block away from MLK near the the Orcas intersection and the train isn't any louder than regular traffic. Maybe you're confusing the train with the constant stream of emergency vehicles headed towards Rainier Beach where your friend lives.
12
And I agree with #9. In real cities, transit runs once an hour or so on limited lines throughout the night. Light rail can run once every ten minutes throughout the day but not once between 1 and 5 a.m.?
13
Seriously, @4. Is it just me or is "Mayor McCheese" starting to look more and more like Dina Martina with each passing day?
14
That'll teach you to do your drinking at the airport, DOUG.
The Pancake Chef is kittycorner from the Tukwila station. Still, that's about a half-hour walk. Tukwila is one fucked-up city.
The Pancake Chef is kittycorner from the Tukwila station. Still, that's about a half-hour walk. Tukwila is one fucked-up city.
16
Seriously? People probably will use "rail" in various forms - take the rail, ride the rail, catch the rail, etc. - unless there is concerted effort by Sound Transit to create and promote some kind of acronym.
Sound? Transportation always is more quiet for the riders - the world around be damned.
Sound? Transportation always is more quiet for the riders - the world around be damned.
17
@11 It's a joke cause it took us since the World's Fair (1964 when the monorail was supposed to go all over the city) to get even a rudimentary transit system.
18
Wait....the train won't go to the airport until December? Wha?!? Argh. I thought the train to the airport was going to start up in July. Oh a shuttle bus...well then that doesn't sound too terrible, except that it does. (is very tired of waiting)
21
it's pretty cute how you guys rave about how fucking super fucking sweet the light rail is, then post the most unflattering picture possible of the guy who has pretty much devoted his adult life to making it a reality. bravo.
22
@12 - the usual answer is that they need the overnight hours to do track maintenance and such; that's hard to do if there's trains coming along now and then. Lots of "real cities" with good transit shut their subways down overnight, including London, SF, Boston, etc.
23
there's the beacon hill tunnel and eventually one through capitol hill, right? maybe we should call it the CHUD.
24
Indeed, why on earth did we spend so much money building a huge station in Tukwila, just a tiny distance from the airport, that will only see substantial use for 6 months until the rest of the line is finished. I smell a rat. Who owned that land? Who owns land nearby? WTF is up with that, really? It must've cost a mint. There is nothing walkable there - it's all parking lots.
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=…
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=…
25
But, but, but, the lights are synchronized! It's the same as grade separated!
“Not 100 percent of the time,” he says, “but most of the time the train gets the right of way.”
See? It's not.
Glad light rail is running. Something is better than nothing, but we're getting so little for our tax dollars.
“Not 100 percent of the time,” he says, “but most of the time the train gets the right of way.”
See? It's not.
Glad light rail is running. Something is better than nothing, but we're getting so little for our tax dollars.
28
What a waste of tax payer money. Everyone knows we should have built a billion dollar arena for the Sonics and spent $500 million renovating Husky stadium instead.
30
@9 and 12,
Well, unless those real cities are London or Paris (on weekdays) when the trains stop running around 1AM.
(Not that I think that's a good thing, mind you, and late night buses in London are a real pain in the ass to find sometimes).
Well, unless those real cities are London or Paris (on weekdays) when the trains stop running around 1AM.
(Not that I think that's a good thing, mind you, and late night buses in London are a real pain in the ass to find sometimes).
32
zephsright @18:
Can someone refresh my memory? When Central Link finally does get to the airport, what exactly will it mean to get to the airport? Will it be as close to the terminals as the route 194 stop, something as close as MAX stops to the Portland airport? Or will it be farther-removed, such that you're going to need some additional means of conveyance to get there? Distances in meters, yards, choose-your-unit-of-measure appreciated.
Wait....the train won't go to the airport until December? Wha?!? Argh. I thought the train to the airport was going to start up in July. Oh a shuttle bus...well then that doesn't sound too terrible, except that it does. (is very tired of waiting)
Can someone refresh my memory? When Central Link finally does get to the airport, what exactly will it mean to get to the airport? Will it be as close to the terminals as the route 194 stop, something as close as MAX stops to the Portland airport? Or will it be farther-removed, such that you're going to need some additional means of conveyance to get there? Distances in meters, yards, choose-your-unit-of-measure appreciated.
34
@32:
The light-rail station is just to the north of the parking garage, so it shouldn't be any further of a walk than that, although I wasn't close enough to see where the pedestrian walkway connects up with the terminal.
The light-rail station is just to the north of the parking garage, so it shouldn't be any further of a walk than that, although I wasn't close enough to see where the pedestrian walkway connects up with the terminal.
35
Congrats, Mayor McCheese. Consider this the final chapter in your civil service career. You've this project to the point where we can now envision further light rail expansion. You can go now. Kthxbai!
@ everyone who is right about how lame the Tukwila stop is: Yup. That would be because the city of Tukwila didn't want the Light Rail to mess up its downtown or the Mall. There's some 21st century thinking for you, right?
And for those all excited about the airport stop, I was, too, until I realized that I'll have to walk across the entire parking garage to get to the terminal. All in all, I still might take the Express Bus once the novelty wears off.
@ everyone who is right about how lame the Tukwila stop is: Yup. That would be because the city of Tukwila didn't want the Light Rail to mess up its downtown or the Mall. There's some 21st century thinking for you, right?
And for those all excited about the airport stop, I was, too, until I realized that I'll have to walk across the entire parking garage to get to the terminal. All in all, I still might take the Express Bus once the novelty wears off.
37
The light rail line should have run above the Departure road at the terminal ... stopping twice ... once at each end ... that would have made more sense ... sure it might have cost a little more ... but it would be worth it.
Regardless ... I look forward to taking this line to work/home and to the airport
Regardless ... I look forward to taking this line to work/home and to the airport
38
@9
SERIOUSLY.
ST would double ridership if they kept it running until 2:00am. Do these designers go to bed at 10 on Friday nights? Oh wait, they do.
SERIOUSLY.
ST would double ridership if they kept it running until 2:00am. Do these designers go to bed at 10 on Friday nights? Oh wait, they do.
39
Hey, there actually are hangers for bicycles that don't impede anything - two per car, so the train we were on this morning had four. See my earlier photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bensch/2923…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bensch/2923…
40
@35 - Tukwila has a downtown?
Once the light rail to the airport is up and running, Metro is discontinuing the 194.
Once the light rail to the airport is up and running, Metro is discontinuing the 194.
41
I love that the light rail allows us to put more wires in the sky. Someday, if we try really hard, we'll be able to weave Seattle a dark gray electric blanket that will cover the sky, and keep us warm during the dark gray winters.
More wires wires wires. Over my head head head.
Hey how about those Mariners.
Has anyone seen my pills?
More wires wires wires. Over my head head head.
Hey how about those Mariners.
Has anyone seen my pills?
42
There were guys in the Rainier Valley protesting the construction a couple years back who had signs saying "no white rail" ... maybe that name will stick.
43
Light rail is the bomb.
The first light rail line in the Twin Cities was completed in 2004, connecting the Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis via the airport and a bunch of residential neighborhoods. It took most of a decade, during which the usual suspects pissed and moaned about "wasteful government subsidies" and confidently predicted that no one would ride it. And then after just two years of operation the line surpassed its projected ridership goals for the year 2020. The unambiguous success of one light rail line became a powerful argument for building more - we've got another projected to open in 2014 and more on the drawing board, along with a "heavy rail" commuter train to the Minneapolis suburbs opening this year. Hopefully things will work out the same way for Seattle!
Oh, and our light rail line is officially called the Hiawatha Line, but everyone I know just calls it "the light rail." I've been riding the light rail for years, and never once felt even slightly gay.
The first light rail line in the Twin Cities was completed in 2004, connecting the Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis via the airport and a bunch of residential neighborhoods. It took most of a decade, during which the usual suspects pissed and moaned about "wasteful government subsidies" and confidently predicted that no one would ride it. And then after just two years of operation the line surpassed its projected ridership goals for the year 2020. The unambiguous success of one light rail line became a powerful argument for building more - we've got another projected to open in 2014 and more on the drawing board, along with a "heavy rail" commuter train to the Minneapolis suburbs opening this year. Hopefully things will work out the same way for Seattle!
Oh, and our light rail line is officially called the Hiawatha Line, but everyone I know just calls it "the light rail." I've been riding the light rail for years, and never once felt even slightly gay.
44
It looks to me like the station at the airport will be no farther than the one at O'Hare and probably not that much further than the current bus stop (depending on which end of the airport you are heading to). Screw you if you can't haul your fat ass and all your crap that piddly distance.
I'm jealous -- wish I could have wrangled an invitation for this junket....
I'm jealous -- wish I could have wrangled an invitation for this junket....
46
Re: places to put a bike.
You're not supposed to put bikes at the station, you're supposed to take em with you.
But they'll install bike racks or convert parking spots to bike spots eventually, depending on how it gets used over time.
And the longboard I have with me is ... um ... a personal water shield. Yeah. Not a skateboard, so don't call it that train cops!
You're not supposed to put bikes at the station, you're supposed to take em with you.
But they'll install bike racks or convert parking spots to bike spots eventually, depending on how it gets used over time.
And the longboard I have with me is ... um ... a personal water shield. Yeah. Not a skateboard, so don't call it that train cops!
48
you know what would be really awesome?! if a bunch of bicyclists used the train tracks as a bike trail!
Wait, you say public transportation users might be inconvenienced? WHO CARES! Bicycles have a right to go anywhere they want!
Wait, you say public transportation users might be inconvenienced? WHO CARES! Bicycles have a right to go anywhere they want!
49
Someone needs to buy you a decent camera! but thanks for the pictures anyways, i'll take what I can get. juicy
50
I'm also really kinda pissed they didn't decide to swing through upper Kent (near that godforsaken mall) where plenty of commuters could get off for work (i.e. ME!)
51
@ 3 and @10
I was at an open house on southeast beacon hill a couple weeks ago and could hear the trains on MLK. They were louder than the normal traffic but maybe because it was a Sunday. Also, being above the tracks might have contributed.
I was at an open house on southeast beacon hill a couple weeks ago and could hear the trains on MLK. They were louder than the normal traffic but maybe because it was a Sunday. Also, being above the tracks might have contributed.
53
Hiawatha line- 12 miles 17 stations - Groundbreaking for the line took place on January 17, 2001. Regular service began on the first phase of the line on June 26, 2004, with the second phase opening later that year on December 4.
The line's cost is expected to total $715 million, with $424 million coming from the federal government.
The line's cost is expected to total $715 million, with $424 million coming from the federal government.
54
"Fares range from $1.75 to $2.50, depending on how far you travel."
Lots of people are going to be confused (at least initially) by the fare aspect. Especially in the tunnel and transferring to/from buses.
Lots of people are going to be confused (at least initially) by the fare aspect. Especially in the tunnel and transferring to/from buses.
56
This was a really neat preview, Dominic. I find this really encouraging and can't wait for the rollout in July.
I think we've all been calling it Link and/or Light Rail for a while. I've been calling it Link, so I figured we were just going to call it Link.
I think we've all been calling it Link and/or Light Rail for a while. I've been calling it Link, so I figured we were just going to call it Link.
58
@ 35
Wrong. Tukwila DESPERATELY wanted light rail to reach the Mall. In fact, Tukwila city council delayed light rail and wouldn't approve of the plans until ST agreed to have the train go to Southcenter.
But the $300m extra cost and the extra 7 minutes it'd take to get the mall didn't fare well with ST or any other non-Tukwila politicians. So Tukwila Intl BLVD station was a "compromise."
So no hatin' on Tukwila for a sucky station. It's not their fault. They're now demanding that Southcenter somehow be connected with a future link line.
Wrong. Tukwila DESPERATELY wanted light rail to reach the Mall. In fact, Tukwila city council delayed light rail and wouldn't approve of the plans until ST agreed to have the train go to Southcenter.
But the $300m extra cost and the extra 7 minutes it'd take to get the mall didn't fare well with ST or any other non-Tukwila politicians. So Tukwila Intl BLVD station was a "compromise."
So no hatin' on Tukwila for a sucky station. It's not their fault. They're now demanding that Southcenter somehow be connected with a future link line.
59
They dug more tunnel mileage than we did for our first 14 miles. We already had the bus tunnel and most of the route is on flat land. They also built 17 stations while we only added about 8.
There are two stretches where tunnels are used on the line. A short tunnel parallel to Hiawatha Avenue travels under Minnehaha Parkway just north of the 50th Street station. At the airport, twin tunnels (one each for the northbound and southbound trains) go underground for 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to reach the Lindbergh Terminal station, the only stop that is totally underground—70 feet (20 m) below the surface. Trains return to the surface as they near Humphrey Terminal. Some of the sections under the airport required the use of a tunnel boring machine.
There are two stretches where tunnels are used on the line. A short tunnel parallel to Hiawatha Avenue travels under Minnehaha Parkway just north of the 50th Street station. At the airport, twin tunnels (one each for the northbound and southbound trains) go underground for 1.7 miles (2.7 km) to reach the Lindbergh Terminal station, the only stop that is totally underground—70 feet (20 m) below the surface. Trains return to the surface as they near Humphrey Terminal. Some of the sections under the airport required the use of a tunnel boring machine.
60
I do believe the walkway for Link leads directly to Skybridge 3 or 4. Either way, it would be in-between the terminals whilst the buses are on the far south of the International terminals. Walking time will be basically the same. It's took me a good 5-10 minutes to walk to the Alaska Airlines check in from the 194 stop but it also took me 5 minutes just to get off the bus.
ST estimated it will be about 3-5 minutes (depending on age I suppose?) to walk from the train to the "middle of the terminal"
@58 - Your correct! There was at one time a proposal for a streetcar that would run from Burien Transit Center to Tukwila Sounder Station. It must've died though as there hasn't been anything said about it in ages.
ST estimated it will be about 3-5 minutes (depending on age I suppose?) to walk from the train to the "middle of the terminal"
@58 - Your correct! There was at one time a proposal for a streetcar that would run from Burien Transit Center to Tukwila Sounder Station. It must've died though as there hasn't been anything said about it in ages.
61
@45: NYC is not (totally) unique-
The Hamburg, Germany U-bahn (subways) run through the night on Friday & Saturday nights. They started this (every 20/30-min) service two or three years ago, and it is VERY well-used. So much better than the night buses I used to have to take.
In the daytime it is rare to wait more than 3 minutes....
The Hamburg, Germany U-bahn (subways) run through the night on Friday & Saturday nights. They started this (every 20/30-min) service two or three years ago, and it is VERY well-used. So much better than the night buses I used to have to take.
In the daytime it is rare to wait more than 3 minutes....
62
@3 @51 I thought I was the only one. I don't think the noise is 'unbelievably' loud, it is more noise than I expected with the light rail. I've been living near the VA for more than 15 years now and have learned to tune out the airplanes flying overhead and the sometimes extra loud Metro buses running along MLK. I'm near the Cheasty Greenspace and so there aren't a lot of houses between me and the rail. The noise certainly travels up the hill, much like the noise from Seattle Center carries up to Capitol Hill and especially Queen Anne on certain nights. I'm hoping that the noise of the light rail will fade for me like the planes did, however the noise is more high pitched and therefore draws attention to itself. sigh. life in the city I guess.
63
so many comments...first of which is why did it take seattle over a decade to build something that portland did in less than half that time? secondly, why would you run the first one to rainier beach and not the airport? thirdly, i am totally with the shitty after hours transit in this city, the buses and public transit stop running regularly around 1am. So how does that help those of us who work in or frequent bars but dont want to drive drunk? theres a lot of cool things about seattle but the public transit is retarded!
65
@24 @35 I think the benefit of having a large Tukwila station with a bunch of parking lots around it is getting people off the interstate there and taking Link rather than driving into downtown.
@46 SODO Station has a ton of cora bike racks. Maybe six or eight of them. You are definitely supposed to take your bikes to the station and leave them there, this increases the area that each station can serve.
http://www.soundtransit.org/documents/pd…
@46 SODO Station has a ton of cora bike racks. Maybe six or eight of them. You are definitely supposed to take your bikes to the station and leave them there, this increases the area that each station can serve.
http://www.soundtransit.org/documents/pd…
66
Using the handicapped spaces for bikes is a great idea - if a handicapped person needs it then you can lift it up to the hanging racks or just get off and catch the next train a few minutes later.
67
Dominic, if you ever use a picture of Nickels close to the word "bursting" again I will personally come down there and see that Savage licks you like a Gary Bauer doorknob.
Secondly, the art Jonah can't seem to start talking about looks like Prince William's testicles descending into the crown. Or maybe the Queen's.
Secondly, the art Jonah can't seem to start talking about looks like Prince William's testicles descending into the crown. Or maybe the Queen's.
68
One of the worst things about the train in Boston was that it stopped at 12:45am, making it useless if you needed to get home from a bar or club at night. I was hoping Seattle would be a little better than that, and at least run the train until 2:30 or 3am on the weekends.
If they can do it in Cleveland, they ought to be able to do it here.
At least in Boston, I always thought the "maintenance" idea was just a cover for them not wanting different socio-economic groups moving easily between different parts of the city late at night.
If they can do it in Cleveland, they ought to be able to do it here.
At least in Boston, I always thought the "maintenance" idea was just a cover for them not wanting different socio-economic groups moving easily between different parts of the city late at night.
69
@68: I figure it's because they don't want to be constantly cleaning up puke in and around the trains.
71
NYC built the subway with extra track, such that they can shut down an entire track at a time for work and have a buffer *and* keep running trains. They're one of the only places in the world with that much capacity.
While LINK has passing tracks in various places, most of its length is just two tracks, making it very difficult if not impossible to run all-night service.
While LINK has passing tracks in various places, most of its length is just two tracks, making it very difficult if not impossible to run all-night service.
72
Why would anyone on the northside ever use this train? I mean I know we all paid for it, but it's not like I'm gonna want to take a run down the Rainier Valley like some kind of human gangsta safari.
73
Did you fail to notice all the apartments down the hill from the Tukwila(Seatac) station? Also, beyond the pancake chef (which is across the street-ish - max one city-block walk away) are about three thousand houses within walking distance of the station. I don't live close enough to walk, I'm afraid, but others do at least.
74
Link beats 194 hands down even with the walk, which is good for all of us!!
Level boarding beats the bus - you can roll your suitcase onto Link instead of hauling it up the bus steps, and best of all, LINK is air conditioned!
Accident on I-5, no problem, you'll get to view it from LINK.
Level boarding beats the bus - you can roll your suitcase onto Link instead of hauling it up the bus steps, and best of all, LINK is air conditioned!
Accident on I-5, no problem, you'll get to view it from LINK.
75
Yawn....the reason the train stops running from 1AM to 5AM is for those of us, where the train barrels through @ 55 MPH, can get 4 hours of sleep...OK?
Now gd'nite...
Now gd'nite...
Most Commented on Slog
-
Your Daily Douchebag by Dominic Holden
-
The Procession for Officer Brenton by Dominic Holden
-
What She Said by Dan Savage
-
SL Letter of the Day: She Needs Oral by Dan Savage
-
Rules for Waitstaff by Bethany Jean Clement
-
What He Said by Dan Savage
-
Titties and Beer by Dan Savage
-
This "Pledge of Allegiance" Drives Me Crazy, Teabaggers! by Paul Constant
-
That's It: R-71 Wins! by Dominic Holden
-
Two Announcements: Dominic Holden to Become News Editor, Eli Sanders to Become Associate Editor by Christopher Frizzelle
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (75) RSS