Why does anyone think light rail’s four-car-trains trundling
noisily through an area every 3 ½-5 minutes for 20 hours is an attraction? (Central Link has attracted very little development as
attested by light rail ridership in 2011 being a quarter of what Sound Transit
had projected.)
The BCC recently concluded nearly two years of
“negotiations” with Sound Transit because no one wanted light rail in their
neighborhood. They lost! What makes light rail a “magnet”
for Bel Red development? Sound
Transits plans to use a large part of the area to overnight trains, for
maintenance, and parking for transit workers aren’t exactly a boon for
development.
The Bel-Red area would be far better served with a streetcar
system similar to what’s been so successful in South Lake Union. The tracks could run adjacent to each
other or in a loop between 116th and 140th (or 148th
). Both routes could include frequent stops for easy access (vs two stations with light rail). The 116th terminus
would provide access to BRT service directly into and out of Bellevue T/C and
downtown Seattle.
The streetcar system would cost far less than light rail and
would be far more esthetically appealing.
It could begin operation in two years, depending on Bel-Red development
requirements not Sound Transits 11-year East Link schedule. When operation begins streetcar
schedules could be easily adjusted to meet local needs with 5 to 30 minute
intervals between cars.
Sound Transit’s faulty Bel-Red proposal is just another
example of why East Link would fail any rationale cost/benefit analysis. They’re using eastside tax money for a
Capital Hill streetcar system. The
BCC needs to “persuade” them to do the same here.
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