Orphan Road

Simply put: A streetcar, even a 33m Citadis tram like those here in Strasbourg (where I am right now), would be quickly overwhelmed with riders. You'd see crush loads within months.

This corridor needs solid intermediate-high capacity transit, as recommended eight years ago in the 2000 City of Seattle ICT study. Remember that the monorail was to be high capacity - there's no point in spending billions (and that ICT study says those corridors would be a billion each, in 2000 dollars, even for streetcar) and not even getting decent capacity.

I'd be ok with light rail along that corridor. Maybe a cut-and-cap tunnel along the waterfront? This would allow speeds to remain high, but wouldn't be as wide a tunnel as burying 99 would have been. It could run at-grade along 99, but couldn't really serve Ballard without slowing down. Plus you'd want to end right at the beginning of W Seattle, so that it can keep on schedule.

Are you sure about the "billions" figure? What did that include? I see this as only adding tracks to existing corridors that are already city or state owned. The only significant path construction would be transitioning from the waterfront to the tunnel.

Also, I'm not sure about the [don't build it because people will use it] argument. It's a great reason to switch to light rail, but if light rail's unaffordable then a well used streetcar is much preferable to nothing.

I don't know about the 'insane' part, but...I doubt the Nickels group has any real plans at this point, other than resisting a straight rebuild of the viaduct.

Part of the problem is the use by West Seattle people of the viaduct as a freeway. I don't think this should be confused, as it seems to be, with getting to Ballard. If a West Seattle-Ballard demographic could be demonstrated and quantified, that would be great- but I haven't seen that done yet.

Equally baffling is the insistence by Seattle legislators that rebuilding the viaduct is essential to truck transport. Basically a lot of heavy trucks are excluded from the viaduct, the Battery St tunnel, and 99 from the tunnel to about 85th. However, if you watch the viaduct from the ferry terminal, there is heavy truck traffic, so their concerns may be justified, if exaggerated.

As for the city 'streetcar plan', to my way of thinking that's a sop to distract and amuse people vaguely enthusiastic about streetcars. The consistent failure to include a possible line in the Westlake N parking strip indicates to me that nobody is really thinking seriously there.

Some lines, such as an extension out Westlake N to SPU, or the waterfront line serving parks, Aquarium, and cruise and ferry terminals, practically map themselves. Neither of these lines show up on the city 'map'.

I do get a good chuckle at the thought of taking a streetcar from the north end of the Aurora Bridge to Fremont- that would be a thrilling ride! Right near the south end of the bridge, just to the west, is a little N-S street that goes down the hill past the Seattle Country Day School. Find that and take your visitor to Seattle down it- I guarantee they will have a new respect for our hills!

It might be too massive, but I have a feeling they are gearing up for a monorail route redux with light rail instead. That and some streetcar routes, specifically First Hill, Central District, U-District and possibly Lower Queen Anne- places with tons of development potential.

I am guessing Northgate/Eastside will be voted on in 2010 with a regional package. They need to be a part of a regional system to be successful.