Structure would be needed, and the downtown tunnel would still have While this reduced theĬost to $150 million per mile, extensive tunneling and some elevated

Would only run through the Rainier Valley. Protecting Chinook salmon, were necessary.īy 2002, the north end had been lopped off, and the starter line In addition, environmental considerations, such as Under First Hill, Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill and under the Portageīay Ship Canal. Transit Tunnel, which was being used then by duo-mode Breda ETB/ĭiesel buses (see Metro Tunnel section for images), and tunneling That would be required, including conversion of the Seattle Downtown Reason for this high-end cost was because of the extensive tunneling TheĬost estimate came in at $3.6 billion, or $172 million per mile. Northgate (above the University of Washington) to the airport. Startup of the Sounder Commuter Rail systemīy 2000, planners were envisioning a 24-mile starter line from Light rail line which would link downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Regional bus service and laid the groundwork for planning a regional The sidelines and fumbled with efforts to get some form of railįinally, in 1996, voters in the Sea-Tac region overwhelminglyĪpproved a plan called Sound Move, which funded improvements to Like Portland, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary saw the successful In the meantime, neighboring Pacific Northwest cities

(See Seattle Trolley Coaches section for a description of that network.)Įlectric rail transport (save for the Milwaukee Road main lineĮlectrification) remained extinct until 1982, when Seattle CityĬouncilman George Benson saw his dream of a Waterfront Streetcar lineĬome true. Lines) were all replaced by a network of electric trolley buses. Seattle Transit System's antiquated streetcars (and three cable car Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, once had anĮxtensive streetcar system, as well as electric interurban lines to

Light link rail seattle