Articles by Dick Falkenbury

Despite City Council Vote, Monorail Will Go On

The city council went out of their way to kill the monorail proposal. They did so in spite of their promises, they did so in the face of overwhelming public support and they tried to hide it with protestations that this was what was best for us—the only w

Small Ideas for Seattle
Port of Seattle Spends Too Heavily on New SeaTac Concourse

The Port of Seattle Commissioners voted last week to spend $324 million to completely rebuild the SeaTac Airport concourse.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Welcome, Tourists!

Falkenbury's ideas about improving the experiences of people visiting Seattle.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Nix New City Hall, Go Monorail

Seattle should build a sensible meeting hall instead of a huge complex, and use the savings on...guess what?

Small Ideas For Seattle
Fire!

Dick has some ideas for city-wide fire prevention.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Tweak Seattle Arts Commission's Mission

Dick's ideas for public spending on art.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Get Serious About Recycling--Make Businesses Do It, Too

As long as the only mandated program is individual houses, it will be little more than a PR gimmick. Get real about garbage reduction.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Who Needs on World Class Fish Tanks When a Good Old Bowl of Chowder Will Do?

We used to have "Seattle class" and the world copied us. "World class" looks at what others have done, and copies that.

Small Ideas For Seattle
Save the I-90 Shoulder from Traffic Engineers!

Shoulders save us from even more congestion, contends Dick Falkenbury.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Make Pike Place Market an Auto-Free Zone

Remove the cars and you expand the footage for selling and make the Market experience better for all. Chairs and tables could be put out for eating. Stalls, both number and size could be increased. Walking through the Market would be pleasurable again.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Small Ideas for Seattle

It's time to bring back the flophouses; this time do them right.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Keep What We Have and Make Do With It

Maybe for a couple of years the city should stop tearing things down. No houses, businesses, schools or government buildings. Study what you have, fix what needs to be fixed and make do with what you've got for, say, five years.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Small Ideas for Seattle

The day of "naming rights" and the money that it brings is upon us. Get over it. Take the cash and then never, not ever, call it Safeco Field as long as you draw breath.

Small Ideas for Seattle
Build a Grand Boulevard on Mercer to Bridge 1-5

If I was the traffic czar, I would set to work on a pedestrian bridge somewhere in the area of Mercer Street over I-5 BEFORE I fixed a road or built a monorail or anything.