On the [un]Sound Transit light rail boondoggle
Two days after a contractor finished drilling a commuter-rail tunnel under Beacon Hill, there was another acknowledgement that work there is costing more than planned ... Sound Transit board members Thursday approved nearly $1 million more for geotechnical engineeringAnd on the Paul Allen streetcar boondoggle
Seven months before Seattle christens its new South Lake Union streetcar, the expected operating costs are increasing.Yuh, sure. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 11, 2007 10:37 AM | Email ThisSo, Mayor Greg Nickels is asking the City Council to give the streetcar a line of credit -- up to $3 million -- to be repaid within 10 years. The council is expected to decide the issue next month.
The mayor's transportation adviser, Mike Mann, said new advertising money and fares paid by riders will eventually close the gap.
I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you!! How did this happen!?
Posted by: G Jiggy on May 11, 2007 11:00 AMThat goes for both the street car and the train. When the ridership numbers come in lower than expected for both of these projects, and traffic congestion is worse, then what? More trains will probably be their answer.
I will not vote for $16 BILLION more in trains until I see how the one they are currently building fares.
Posted by: Palouse on May 11, 2007 11:10 AMHe had to float a property tax ballot measure so the City could affort basic street maintenance.
He was the head cheerleader for the Seattle Monorail Project, and he secured the city's financial support for it in the 2000 - 2003 (before the MVET's kicked in). That was an unmitigated fiasco.
He and Sims have been driving the train at ST from the beginning, and the task has proven WAAAAAAY too much for either of them. That the SLU streetcar is in financial trouble is just more of the same.
The disgusting part of all of this is that Nickels and Sims are completely secure in their day jobs because the huge union-job contracts from ST they dole out. Those buy them all the political support they need.
Their base also bought them all the support they need on the Supreme Court (Hangartner, Miller, Sinking-Ship Garage, Sheehan, Larson, etc).
This whole festering mess has lasted this long because entities getting rich off ST up to this point have been able to buy off Entercom, Fisher, Hearst Corp., and the Blethan family.
ST is a boil on this community that needs to be lanced. If providence is smiling on us, the proposition in November will not be approved.
Posted by: B. Hornswaggle on May 11, 2007 11:42 AMBecause it's a DEM's idea... doesn't matter where it goes. You'll pay for it.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on May 11, 2007 04:07 PMWant Nickels and Sims (and their ilk) hitting you with more transportation taxes? They are tweedle dee and tweedle dumb.
Eyman's new initiative dovetails precisely with the goals of Sound Transit and the entities making huge money off it.
As far as Light Rail -- think of this image. You are driving on I-5 at 10:30pm at night. Above you on one of the overpasses, comes a robot light rail train, the windows lit up with flourescent light
Posted by: John Bailo on May 12, 2007 10:37 AMIt is an insane mentality that cannot see the absolute unsustainable unendable cost of this
project.
Say No to more. Say No to Sound Transit.
Just Say No!
No, it's the mayor doing a billionaire a favor in turn for the developer revitalizing an area that had been overlooked by developers for years. Places like the South Lake Union Pub no longer exist, in place you have upscale restaurants and yuppie condos. It's a win-win situation for the mayor since he can increase the tax base under his watch with very little given in return.