1. I just don't realize how good I have it over here, on the east side of the state, until I read stories like this. Makes me really appreciate where I live. I feel for you all over there only because of all the traffic. You do live in a beautiful cultured part of the state but man, is it crowded.

Posted by: cc on May 23, 2005 10:12 PM

2. This is an outrage. How dare Sound Transit assume to remove a registered historical building such as the 1890's Hansen home situated on this property. This is so very wrong. This story needs to be forwarded to the Railroad Buffs of our region.

Posted by: Tom Clowers on May 24, 2005 07:43 AM

3. Ya know, Emory's assessment isn't quite accurate in as much as a huge number of STs riders are also employees of government agencies that provide transit passes to all employees at no charge (taxpayer expense).

So the actual amount that taxpayers are subsidizing ST is much much greater.

I would not take public transit if I did not receive a yearly pass at no cost. STs service delivery is so lacking that only the fact that I have a negative commute cost by taking it more often than not which allows me to insure my vehicle as a ‘recreational driver’ makes it tolerable.

Posted by: JDH on May 24, 2005 07:47 AM

4. The seems like an odd location. Are these turkeys trying to extend Sounder to Lakewood? Lovely.

Posted by: Dogbert on May 24, 2005 08:27 AM

5. I've seen the South Tacoma property in question. And while I'm not a fan of Sound Transit in any way, much of this area of South Tacoma might benefit from a good bulldozing and a good spray of Roundup. That having been said, there would appear to be far better choices for Sound Transit within 200 yards of the Hansen house and closer to 56th Street which is the main arterial. Unfortunately, Sound Transit chose the location that had the highest associated legal costs and created the greatest delay in siting a simple platform. All they need for these Sounder stations are a parking lot and the equivalent of a bus stop but instead they continually spend millions on architecture studies, design work and legal fees.

Posted by: GN on May 24, 2005 08:35 AM

6. I do not like the destruction of Historic Property myself. I am a railfan, and if I were around 40 years ago, I bet I would have been one of the chorus that vainly opposed the destruction of Pennsylvania Station so a New Madison Square Garden could be built. In a way, people that want to preserve historic property owe their case to the sacrifice of Penn Station. New Yorkers rallied to prevent the Penn Central Railroad from demolishing Grand Central Terminal to make way for yet another office building. The case where Penn Central sued to prevent the preservation of GCT was stopped by the Supreme Court 10 years later, at which time the railroad had ceased to exist.

I know how the right of eminent domain can be abused. I think that Metro made a big mistake siting the Convention Place Terminal at 9th and Olive, I bet they could have had the tunnel come out somewhere in the Denny Triangle. My Great Uncle had a meatpacking plant at the site of 9th and Olive. Metro paid fair market value, and helped relocate the facility.

Also, I am no fan of massive parking garages at these stations, but our own politicians started the craze nearly 40 years ago when Seattle Transit opened the first Park and Ride at Northgate as part of Blue Streak, the last attempt to return the system to profitability. That is right, up until 1963, Public Transit in Seattle made money. One expense they did not have to pay, was diesel and gas. They got a good deal on Electricity for Seatle City Light. One Seat Rides should not have been promised, a feeder bus network should have worked better.

Posted by: MASSTRANSITFAN on May 25, 2005 05:14 PM

7. Dogbert

Yes, it is for the Lakewood Extension, which would be better if it terminated at DuPont, which already has a Park and Ride in place.

Also, GN, I remember from my trips on Northwestern Trailways between Spokane and Seattle, I saw several different Bus/Rail stations. In Spokane, it was more of a Greyhound than a train station, with hounds and trailways buses pulling in more than Amtrak. 4 trains a day(Trains 7/8 out of Seattle and 27/28 out of Portland). In Ephreta, it was not much, just the local Chamber of Commerce, and not much of a shelter. In Wenatchee, it is a small platform next to the Trailways Terminal, with LINK Transit up on the top of the hill at Columbia Station. Everett Station is a Train/Bus Station. King Street Station and the Spokane Intermodal Center are historic buildings. I did not see much of a parking lot at Ephreta and Wenatchee.

You are right, unless it is a TOD site, it should be just the bare minimum, but I would have at least an artistic sign that should be limited in cost($10,000 or less, unless donated), that differentiates the station from the others.

Posted by: MASSTRANSITFAN on May 25, 2005 05:26 PM

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