The
Saturday Times front page article “Station on a fast track” about the light
rail extension to the UW continues their lavish praise of Sound Transit. Their comment that light rail “carries
32,000 riders a day—a figure that trails initial estimates” trivializes the
fact Sound Transit “initial estimates” were for 110,000 riders by 2010. They then
make the prediction that the “3-mile tunnel to the university should eventually
add 70,000 riders” and quote claims of a “pretty darn incredible 6 minute
trip”.
What the Times
doesn’t understand is the failure of Sound Transit to locate a T/C at the University
station makes a mockery of any 70,000 rider estimate. Sound Transit claims for 15,000 riders from the “Northgate”
extension requires they “persuade” Metro to end Route 51 from Northgate T/C; a
faster and far less expensive alternative. Even with those riders, it’s hard to expect anywhere near 55,000
riders each day between the UW and downtown.
The UW T/C would provide an excellent interface between 520 cross-lake
BRT bus service and Central Link light rail. Eastside residents could
have express bus service from every P&R in the area to UW and a “pretty darn incredible 6 minute trip” into Seattle. Seattleites could use the return routes to
provide light rail/BRT connections to Microsoft and all the major work
destinations on the eastside.
Terminating the 520 bus routes at UW will alleviate the problems
with merging the three 520 lanes with I-5 and reduce downtown congestion. The large numbers of riders in both
directions is the only way for the UW extension to approach 70,000 additional riders
to Central Link. If the Seattle
Times is really interested in making Central Link viable they ought to advocate
for a T/C at the University station.
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