Comments on: Bring Back the Streetcar NOW http://streetcar.slumberland.org/2009/12/13/bring-back-the-streetcar-now/ Seattle's vintage streetcar line deserves to live Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:23:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Wells http://streetcar.slumberland.org/2009/12/13/bring-back-the-streetcar-now/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Wells Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:11:18 +0000 http://streetcar.slumberland.org/?p=33#comment-39 I've always believed Grace Crunican intended to undermine the reinstallation. Several depictions of streetcar lines proposed running in 4-lane Alaskan Way, but the route that remained on SDOT paper was through the middle of the Wide Plaza. Once it was finally pointed out that this route is dangerous to pedestrians, the Waterfront Streetcar line was dropped entirely and replaced with the questionable 1st Ave line. It gets worse. The 4-lane Alaskan Way is likewise flawed. There are bike lanes at curbside, which is a step down from the existing separated path, but I believe a 6-lane Alaskan Way is already on the drawing board awaiting some crucial point in the process where SDOT can claim it's the only option. And, a 6-lane Alaskan Way has the same flaw as the 4-lane version - the need to separate thru-traffic from motorists looking to park - neither accomplishes this goal. Western Ave is just not enough. Before Crunican arrived, there was a design that incorporated a 2-lane frontage road on the eastside. It cut back on the Wide Plaza, but more than enough plaza space remains. A cross-section view shows how the existing 'streetcar/bike/ped island' could be restored admirably. The Seattle Circulator Plan by Art Lewellan (I tried to make a link work, but I'm not sure it did. On the SeattleTransit blog, there's one string headed with a picture of a trolleybus beside a giant car. Halfway down, Oran Viriyincy posted the link on that string. There's a cross-sectional view of this Alaskan Way with the streetcar line.) I’ve always believed Grace Crunican intended to undermine the reinstallation. Several depictions of streetcar lines proposed running in 4-lane Alaskan Way, but the route that remained on SDOT paper was through the middle of the Wide Plaza. Once it was finally pointed out that this route is dangerous to pedestrians, the Waterfront Streetcar line was dropped entirely and replaced with the questionable 1st Ave line.

It gets worse. The 4-lane Alaskan Way is likewise flawed. There are bike lanes at curbside, which is a step down from the existing separated path, but I believe a 6-lane Alaskan Way is already on the drawing board awaiting some crucial point in the process where SDOT can claim it’s the only option. And, a 6-lane Alaskan Way has the same flaw as the 4-lane version – the need to separate thru-traffic from motorists looking to park – neither accomplishes this goal. Western Ave is just not enough.

Before Crunican arrived, there was a design that incorporated a 2-lane frontage road on the eastside. It cut back on the Wide Plaza, but more than enough plaza space remains. A cross-section view shows how the existing ‘streetcar/bike/ped island’ could be restored admirably.

The Seattle Circulator Plan by Art Lewellan

(I tried to make a link work, but I’m not sure it did. On the SeattleTransit blog, there’s one string headed with a picture of a trolleybus beside a giant car. Halfway down, Oran Viriyincy posted the link on that string. There’s a cross-sectional view of this Alaskan Way with the streetcar line.)

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