One more quick report on a subject dear to my heart -- public transportation in Seattle. On Monday, I hopped an introductory free ride on our city's newly-completed second streetcar line.
The First Hill line runs from Broadway at Denny (in front of Seattle Community College), south on Broadway to Yesler, east several blocks into the Central District as far as Fourteenth, then back west on Jackson through the International District, past King Street Station, and ending up in Pioneer Square.
I rode the streetcar through rush-hour traffic (about 4 p.m.). The ride took 29 minutes. As I've mentioned to others, I probably could walk from SCC to Pioneer Square in less time than that, following a more direct route.
But the streetcar isn't intended as a fast ride from terminus to terminus. It will pick up passengers at a number of intermediate stops, giving them faster transportation than is provided by existing bus routes.
Besides, well, shucks, street cars are pretty cool! It remains to be seen whether the First Hill route will be as successful as the existing South Lake Union route, which passes through the heart of the Amazon building boom. In any event, I welcome the opening of the new route.
And in a further note on the mass transit front -- since my discussion a couple of weeks ago of the extension of Seattle's existing light rail line north to the University of Washington, South Transit has announced that service will begin on the new 3.1 mile tunnel segment, with its stations on Capitol Hill and at Husky Stadium, on March 19.
Life is good when you live in Seattle. And find yourself fascinated by public transportation.
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