Conceptual Ideas for the Future

[GvilleSC]

The interesting thing about the Seattle monorail is that it hardly goes anywhere, and it's expensive to ride! It has essentially become a form of tourism transportation, allowing them to charge whatever they want. Seattle built the original stretch (a short line with two stations) with intention of making a monorail system the City's form of mass transportation, building upon it and connecting it to everything. Ultimately, they scrapped the idea, and pursued light rail. Seattle has a good bus system today, and the first stretches of light rail plans to open later this year, connecting to the airport, I believe.

[RestedTraveler]

The interesting thing about the Seattle monorail is that it hardly goes anywhere, and it's expensive to ride! It has essentially become a form of tourism transportation, allowing them to charge whatever they want. Seattle built the original stretch (a short line with two stations) with intention of making a monorail system the City's form of mass transportation, building upon it and connecting it to everything. Ultimately, they scrapped the idea, and pursued light rail. Seattle has a good bus system today, and the first stretches of light rail plans to open later this year, connecting to the airport, I believe.

[GvilleSC]

If I recall correctly, they had passed (or were getting ready to pass) a bond issue/bill and were getting ready to expand the monorail in Seattle (in spite of the huge expense) and then the existing short line had a really bad accident (ran into the side of a building which had somehow been built too close to the track or perhaps the track was built too close to the building - don't remember which). That accident, if I remember correctly, swayed public opinion against the monorail system expansion and doomed the thing. I'm sure you can probably Google it and find out more (or better) details though.

[RestedTraveler]

I didn't know about the crash. That had to be the Frank Gehry building, if I had to guess. The trains and tracks go through the building as it arrives at one of the stops. It's a cool experience, partially because of the building's design, itself.