Recently Sound Transit published another one of the weekly photos they've commissioned to be taken of the construction of the light rail transit system. The recent photograph by Dan Corson (Check out Corson's Site, great work!) really caught my attention! The image is of the light rail bridge, with blue lighting, traversing the Duwamish River. There is a serene beauty to the image, a mighty strength to the bridge itself, and a smooth contrast in the artful conception of the image itself. The mirrored image cast upon the water adds a surreal tranquility, which as one would expect, led me into thought.
Sound Transit just got their Proposition 1 passed. This will be one of many images in the next decade as light rail construction swings into full tilt. The expansion will more than double the current 15 miles that is almost complete. Seattle is also building of the most expensive and massive under city efforts to reach their University Area slightly north of downtown. Regardless of price, just the project itself is something of amazement. Slowly but surely Seattle is stepping back up after falling down on transit options for more than two decades. Seattle is quickly making efforts to renew and recapture growth in the city. Sure there are the protagonists of light rail, but it is used, heavily, and the pricing isn't all that bad when considering the options, or lack there of. Seattle's, with 3 car (or more?) limits should be one of the first of this scale, and truly remarkable in the prospective ridership. If it trends the way every line (except one) in the United States has, it will most likely blow past ridership projections and step into territory unexpectedly.
I look forward to taking the trip to check out their system when it opens. Finally Seattle will become a place on my list of, acceptable transit friendly cities. Between the bus system and now a decent connection coming online to the airport. In addition commuter rail, intercity rail, and other options, Seattle is truly becoming world class above and beyond!