Quail64
Cyburbian
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I hope this isn't a repeated topic.
This taken from the Seattle Monorail project's website at http://www.elevated.org/
The mentioned light rail is currently under construction with more information here- http://www.soundtransit.org/linkrail/central/central.htm
Here is a map of what the system could look like some day-
These are some visualizations of what some stations could look like-
I think this is very exciting for a city with such horrible traffic. I should be great for getting people who wouldn't ride buses to use mass transit.
I like the idea of monorails for the aforementioned reasons, but also because it establishes a sense of place unique to Seattle. Like New York and its subways or Chicago and its El, Seattle will have its monorails.
Besides Seattle's current monorail, I've also ridden Japanese monorails, which integrate seemlessly into the rest of their transit system. Apparently they hold up well to earthquakes as an added benefit (which is good news for the earthquake-prone puget sound area.)
Anyway, mass transit has been long overdue in Seattle, but it's great that it's finally happening.
This taken from the Seattle Monorail project's website at http://www.elevated.org/
In November 2002, Seattle voters approved Petition #1 to fund the building of the 14-mile Monorail Green Line, “Phase 1” of a proposed 5-line city wide monorail system. The Green Line will connect Ballard, Key Arena, Seattle Center, Belltown, Downtown, Benaroya Hall, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, the International District, the ferry terminal, King Street Station, SODO, Safeco Field, the Seahawks Stadium and West Seattle. The Green Line will carry millions of people each year, above traffic with easy connections to buses, ferries, light rail and trains.
The Seattle Popular Monorail Authority (Seattle Monorail Project) is an independent city transportation authority established under state law (RCW Ch. 35.95A), charged with building, owning, operating and maintaining the monorail system.
The project is governed by a nine member board of directors, led by an Executive Director and staff, and supported by consultants and volunteers.
The project will break ground in 2005, with segments opening in 2007. The entire Green Line is scheduled to be in operation in 2009.
Project Benefits
Provides 69,000 daily trips
Elevated, does not get stuck in traffic
Runs on electricity, does not pollute
Trains every 4 minutes - even in rush hour
Travel is fast and efficient
4 1/2 minutes from Queen Anne to Pike Place Market
5 minutes from the downtown retail core to Safeco Field
15 minutes from West Seattle to Key Arena
Easy connections with buses, ferries, light rail and trains
Uses state-of-the-art transportation technology
The mentioned light rail is currently under construction with more information here- http://www.soundtransit.org/linkrail/central/central.htm
Here is a map of what the system could look like some day-

These are some visualizations of what some stations could look like-





I think this is very exciting for a city with such horrible traffic. I should be great for getting people who wouldn't ride buses to use mass transit.
I like the idea of monorails for the aforementioned reasons, but also because it establishes a sense of place unique to Seattle. Like New York and its subways or Chicago and its El, Seattle will have its monorails.
Besides Seattle's current monorail, I've also ridden Japanese monorails, which integrate seemlessly into the rest of their transit system. Apparently they hold up well to earthquakes as an added benefit (which is good news for the earthquake-prone puget sound area.)
Anyway, mass transit has been long overdue in Seattle, but it's great that it's finally happening.