Use “Streetcar Connection” to Replace 2nd ST Tunnel

The January 20^th Seattle Times Traffic Lab article headlined “Cost estimates soar for potential new downtown Seattle streetcar” seems to reflect a newfound interest in transit system costs.  The article included concern the  $410 million cost for the connection between First Hill and South Lake Union streetcars was apparently making it “more challenging”.  That “the streetcars future was already dim before the most recent evaluation”. 

Yet the connection between the two routes provides an opportunity to replace the more than $13 billion Sound Transit is planning to spend boring a second tunnel and implementing 5 new stations for access. Routing the South Lake Union streetcars through Seattle would allow those within walking distance of 10 stops with transit access to downtown.  

It would allow routing the Ballard Link to the existing Westlake station avoiding the cost and disruption from implementing the one or two light rail stations in the area as well as the new Westlake Station.  Not having to wait for the second tunnel would allow Ballard and South Lake transit service into downtown Seattle ten years earlier at a fraction of the second tunnel cost.

Commuters from Capitol Hill would benefit from not being “crowded out” by riders added by light rail extensions beyond UW.  Those riders as well as those along the entire 10-stop First Hill route would benefit by having streetcar access through downtown.  The connection would attract more riders to both streetcar routes, especially First Hill commuters having routes to South Lake Union. All those riding streetcars would also avoid the hassle of needing to use the DSTT stations for the return routes. Thus, the streetcar connection is a far better option than the second tunnel for commuters from Ballard, South Lake Union, and along First Hill route.

 

Meanwhile current commutes from SeaTac and beyond would benefit if both the East Link and West Seattle links were terminated at existing CID. Those needing to go beyond CID could use existing DSTT.  Terminating East Link at CID avoids current commuters losing access to half the DSTT trains. Terminating West Seattle at CID avoids forcing those commuters to share the remaining capacity with West Seattle commuters until the second tunnel is complete. 

 

Using the existing CID station for east side and West Seattle commuters would provide the “near CID station” residents in the area have spent a year requesting.   Even board members Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrel and System Expansion Committee chair, Claudia Balducci, called it “a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a space for people to transfer from light rail to light rail, to Sounder and Amtrak".  

 

The bottom line is the benefits from the streetcar connection dwarf those of the second tunnel. That they do so at a fraction of the cost in far shorter time with far less disruption to downtown Seattle.  There would have been no second tunnel if 70% of Seattle voters had not approved ST3 in 2016. They deserve better.

Mayor Harrel has included the streetcar connection in his Downtown Activation Plan.  He can use his position on Sound Transit Board to advocate for using some of the nearly $8 billion Sound Transit will spend on its 2024-2029 Transit Improvement Plan to help fund the streetcar connection.  He owes his constituents and the Seattle Times Traffic Lab, its readers, to advocate for the streetcar connection.

Another Reason I’m Filing for Governor,

The January 17^th Seattle Times front page article “Climate act repeal effort closer to making ballot in November” adds to why I intend to again file as a candidate for governor this summer.  The 2021 Climate Commitment Act is another example of legislative misfeasance, “the doing of a lawful act in an unlawful or improper manner".  While they were entitled to write the law, they did so with misleading claims about both the cost and the benefits.  

The claim the costs would be minimal is belied by the fact “the auctions have raised an estimated $1.8 billion”.  Those paying for their “greenhouse emissions” undoubtedly passed them on to those buying their products, presumably mostly Washington residents.  Future auctions attempting to further reduce emissions will surely increase those costs. 

 

Inslee claims it’s the most effective way for Washington to cut carbon emissions and encourage other states to follow suit.  It’s not clear how much the $1.8 billion in auctions reduced the emissions and “unlikely” other state legislators will want to emulate Washington’s highest gas prices in the country. Many of his purported Climate Commitment Act benefits have little to do with the “Climate”.  That “part of its value is cutting traffic congestion”, providing free transit for children, and utility assistance for nearly 2 million people. 

 

What’s truly questionable are claims for the benefits.  In 2022 the entire country emitted 12.6% of the total planet.  Washington state’s emission made up 1.5% of the country’s or 0.22% of that total. Thus, any Climate benefit from Inslee’s Climate Commitment Act is limited to the benefit from reducing Washington’s 0.22% of the global C02.  It’s exposing that reality in the “Voters Pamphlet” this year in support of the repeal effort is another reason why I will be filing for governor.

A New ST CEO, Another Year of Folly

The 2023 December 15^th Sound Transit video included Julie Timms final report as Sound Transit CEO.  While it took nearly a year to replace her predecessor a January 11^th Special Board of Directors Meeting announced the hiring of Goran Sparrman as “interim CEO” for from Jan13, 2024 to Jan 12, 2025.  It was clearly a Dow Constantine decision since the board’s System Expansion Committee meeting scheduled earlier and the following Special board meeting  had released an agenda showing Timms as CEO.

Sparrman had previously served 12 years as director of transportation for the city of Bellevue where he had “worked extensively with Sound Transit implementing the East Link extension”.  He'd recently served as business development officer, vice president of HDR Engineering Inc.  (The System Expansion Committee meeting agenda had included Motion No M2024-01 authorizing $7,000,000 for a new total authorized contract not to exceed $125,440,000 with HDR.)

 

His comments followed Constantine’s introduction included a clear indication he was eager to proceed with another year of Sound Transit’s current policies.  That those policies including implementing the recommendations of the Transit Advisory Group and private consultant to improve the process for Sound Transit expansion.

 

Clearly Constantine wanted to avoid the problem he had with replacing Rogoff as CEO.  That effort included the board creating a CEO Selection Committee that hired CPS HR Consulting for a three-month contract to find suitable candidates. That effort failed and it took nearly a year before Timms was installed as new CEO. Sparrman was clearly chosen because of his history of supporting Sound Transit plans for "the largest system expansion in the country".

 

Constantine still doesn’t recognize Sound Transit’s problem is not with the “process” of implementing the “voter approved” expansion.  It’s that any competent transit system CEO would recognize the “product”, 4-car light rail trains, don’t have the capacity needed to reduce multilane freeway congestion. Sound Transit exacerbates that problem by not adding access to light rail trains, choosing instead to use light rail trains to replace far less expensive bus routes. 

 Any competent transit system CEO would recognize spending billions on light rail extensions to replace bus routes reduces transit capacity and nothing to reduce freeway GP lane congestion. That those transferring from buses only reduce access for current riders.

 

The bottom line is Goren Sparrman was hired to continue the folly of implementing voter approved extensions. Thus, it’s going to take another year of the East Link Starter Line and Lynnwood extension to demonstrate that folly.

 

More Sound Transit 2023 Blunders

The previous post concluded what didn’t happen in 2023 was an East Link debut demonstrating the folly of confiscating the I-90 Bridge center roadway for light rail to replace bus routes into Seattle.  That terminating the Link at CID could obviate the need for a second tunnel. 

This post details other blunders for the year.  They spent the year planning to implement an East Link Starter Line from Redmond TC to South Bellevue P&R, allocating $47M for start-up costs with 2-car trains every 10 minutes for 16 hours a day.  Yet fail to recognize the lack of parking with access to stations and the need to transfer at South Bellevue to commute into and out of Seattle will dissuade ridership, limiting farebox recovery to a fraction of operating expenses. Especially since riders will continue to have access to Rapid Ride E and ST550 for the commute.

 

They continued to ignore the potential light rail noise problem associated with lack of shielding along the Bel-Red route.  The Bellevue municipal noise code limits levels to 55 dB in residential areas and 60dB in commercial. Yet Sound Transit approved a memorandum that limits their need to mitigate noise levels to whatever their CEO considers “reasonable and feasible”.  That doing so with Starter Line will limit trains to 15-20 mph.

They spent another year failing to recognize 4-car light rail trains don’t have the capacity to reduce multi-lane freeway peak hour congestion and cost too much to operate off-peak.  That using the Lynnwood Link light rail extension to replace bus routes reduces transit capacity into Seattle; does nothing to reduce I-5 congestion and those transferring reduce access for current riders.  And continue to fund a Transit Analysis Group (TAG) and private consultant who fail to recognize the problem of “voter approved” extensions.   

They spent the year revising their distance-based fare structure to a $3.00 flat fare. The result will be those riding from Capitol Hill to Westlake will see their fare increase from $2.25 to $3.00 the same as someone from Lynnwood to SeaTac. A strong disincentive to pay any fare despite Sound Transit’s Fare Ambassadors best attempts at “friendly persuasion”.

 

They committed to spending $499,500 on a Bus Base North that was excluded in ST3 proposal. Most of the facilities 120-bus capacity will be used by Community Transit buses.  Yet the east side will provide for the 75% of the funds for the Canyon Park location in Snohomish. They proceeded with plans to spend more than $300M on a I-5/NE 130^th Street light rail station and an In-line BRT station aI-405/NE 85^th Street.  Yet neither station has parking for access.

 

The bottom line is all these blunders reflect another year of a board composed of well-meaning elected officials that don’t understand what constitutes effective public transit.  It doesn’t bode well for the future.