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City Council Should Get Out of Monorail's Way
Jun 15, 2000 -- People want the Monorail. That's the message we hear time and again as Seattleites follow the clumsy, cumbersome Sound Transit scenario in the news.We have talked to scores of Seattleites in recent weeks who share widespread support and enthusiasm for the Monorail and impatience with City Council's attempts to scuttle it.
Many of Sound Transit's schemes are increasingly dubious, such as the immense expense of burrowing under Capitol Hill and the U-District and the years of construction site chaos in these already congested urban neighborhoods.
Many also do not see how Sound Transit will make a contribution to easing traffic congestion. It looks like most Sound Transit routes would merely siphon away bus riders, not lure people out of their cars as was originally envisioned.
There is widespread and bitter disappointment that the rail link to Northgate is being shelved, perhaps indefinitely.
So after the expenditure of several billion dollars, traffic will be worse, some trains will replace some busses, and it will still be impossible to get to Northgate by rapid transit because Sound Transit will terminate at the U-District.
In addition to not making good on the promise of a transportation solution, Sound Transit will create many related problems that adversely impact our neighborhoods, such as:
-Gridlock in the U-District. The U-District, the northern terminus for Sound Transit, has no way to cope with the increased parking demand and the increased traffic that the transit station will bring to the University Way/Northeast 45th Street area;
-Gentrification and displacement of residents in the Valley. Rainier Valley has a large proportion of people and businesses who do not want surface rail bifurcating their neighborhoods, displacing businesses and residences, and interrupting traffic flow;
-Gridlock downtown. Hundreds of busses each day will be back on downtown streets because they are being kicked out of the bus tunnel, which will be converted to rail use.
City Council's continued obstruction of Monorail construction is puzzling. Although voters approved the quiet, one-wheel elevated trains in 1997, the city has refused to put up more than a token $200,000 to carry out the initiative. Judge Learned said, "It is clear that the city understood that public funding was to fill the gap if private sources were not sufficient."
The city "has a clear legal duty" to fund the initiative. "If the City Council believes the actual funds needed would exceed the will of the voters, it can take the matter back to them," Learned said.
We agree with Judge Learned.
We think the Monorail is the right rapid transit solution for Seattle, and in any case much better than what Sound Transit has planned for us. That's why we voted for the Monorail. We hope the Council will not make a unilateral effort to repeal the Monorail in a City Council vote. That would be a slap in the face to thousands of voters, and a blatant violation of the spirit of the initiative process.
If the Council thinks the people made a mistake, just ask us again. We'll be glad to vote a clarification.
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