The phrase,'Unsound Transit', was coined by the Wall Street Journal to describe Seattle where,"Light Rail Madness eats billions that could otherwise be devoted to truly efficient transportation technologies." The Puget Sound's traffic congestion is a growing cancer on the region's prosperity. This website, captures news and expert opinion about ways to address the crisis. This is not a blog, but a knowledge base, which collects the best articles and presents them in a searchable format. My goal is to arm residents with knowledge so they can champion fact-based, rather than emotional, solutions.
Light Rail in Seattle
The Need for Candor
In a September 16, 1999 letter to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Seattle Mayor Schell and the county executives of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties called for the Central Link light rail debate to be kept "at a high and constructive level."
A good starting point would be to get the facts straight. Contrary to the letter, light rail will not carry the equivalent number of trips as a new freeway and will not provide faster travel time. Indeed, no new US light rail system carries a volume remotely equaling the volume of a single freeway lane. And the light rail's snail's pace average 17 miles per hour lengthens travel times, which is one of the reasons that it attracts so few auto drivers. Things will be no different in Seattle. After the area has spent billions on light rail, the fundamental issue will remain --- how to accommodate the traffic congestion that will be virtually the same as if light rail had not been built.
The articles are posted solely for educational purposes to raise awareness of transportation issues. I claim no authorship, nor do I profit from this website. Where known, all original authors and/or source publisher have been noted in the post. As this is a knowledge base, rather than a blog, I have reproduced the articles in full to allow for complete reader understanding and allow for comprehensive text searching...see custom google search engine at the top of the page. If you have concerns about the inclusion of a specific article, please email bbdc1@live.com. for a speedy resolution.
