Background

Sound Transit is building a 14-mile light rail line, called “Central Link light rail” that will extend from Downtown Seattle through the Rainier Valley neighborhood into Tukwila and SeaTac, to end at Seatac International Airport. It is expected to open to passenger service in July 2009.)

News

SECOND TUNNEL BORING FINISHED (Wednesday, March 5, 2008) — The huge tunnel boring machine that has been boring a pair of tunnels under Beacon Hill for Link light rail broke through the east side of the hill, completing the second of the two tunnels. Next comes finishing — laying of tracks, etc.

My Opinions

I was opposed to Link light rail because I felt monorail would be a better choice for that route, however now that it is a “done deal” I can only accept it. Actually the light rail line will be popular and a big help in our regional transportation crisis. However I still believe that a monorail along a similar route would have been better for several reasons, and would have been even more popular. My reasons for fighting to get monorail follow:

In today's environment light rail is just not the best transportation alternative. It is too slow over longer distances, it is too damaging to neighborhoods, it is not safe enough, and it costs too much.

I strongly believe that monorail is superior to light rail because it is safer, faster, quieter, less disruptive to neighborhoods, avoids surface traffic, will have greater ridership, will have more impact on reducing highway traffic, and costs less than light rail.

If the funding allocated to build Link light rail from Downtown Seattle to SeaTac Airport had instead been applied to monorail construction over a similar route, the route could not only have also served Southcenter Mall, but could most likely have been extended a considerable distance beyond SeaTac Airport into Federal Way or beyond.

NOTE: My arguments above are based on surface light rail down the middle of Martin Luther King Way South. I have since learned that south of this area the line will be grade separated. Some portions will be at ground level but separated from traffic, and other portions will be elevated. Grade separated light rail will not have conflicts with traffic, is safer, and can operate at a higher speed.