The SunBreak » transit

Op-Ed: Who Will Own the Driverless Car?

Michael van Baker — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:55:43 +0000

What's most disruptive about the technology of driverless cars might be the economics of scale they offer, making their use more of a mandate than any legal requirement. It seems rational to spend $30,000 on a car, until it doesn't.

Civil Engineers Give Washington a “C” on Infrastructure Report Card

Michael van Baker — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:30:57 +0000

Washington's D+ subjects were roads and transit, even though, as the ASCE's Shane Binder was quick to clarify, the state has very good track record in terms of safety -- especially through its sustained reduction of highway fatalities -- and a very good track record for accountability on its projects. Transit ridership, too, is far above the national average.

Why Your King County Metro Bus Route’s Future is Up to the State

Michael van Baker — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:20:31 +0000

Surprisingly, the audience for this particular piece of political theatre is the state legislature in Olympia, as they control King County's ability to create more stable funding mechanisms for Metro, but have been reluctant to cede that authority, despite King County's evident willingness to pay.

Seattle Takes Light Rail Train to Job Growth

Michael van Baker — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:30:34 +0000

In a related Reuters story, APTA spotlights Seattle, "where transit rides rose 11.8 percent over the year as the metropolitan area added more than 30,000 jobs." From January 2012 to January 2013, the state of Washington added some 65,800 jobs (98 percent of which were in the private sector), with the unemployment rate now holding steady at around 7.5 percent statewide, 6.3 percent in Seattle.

Op-Ed: 2013 is “Year of the Gondola” in Seattle

Michael van Baker — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:20:15 +0000

When gondolas (aerial trams, that is, not Venetian canoes) hit the front page of the Seattle Times, you know it's going to be a great year. God bless Mike Lindblom for giving the idea ink. Gondolas, like Dangerfield, get no respect .

Who Made King County Transit the Tunnel Fall Guy?

Michael van Baker — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:39:21 +0000

What Gregoire, Sims, and Nickels could do was present everyone with a fait accompli: a construction megaproject in midstream, and the promise of gridlock if more funds aren't made available. Specifically, says Metro chief Kevin Desmond "about 125 daily bus trips and 7,500 daily transit seats will be lost -- while tunnel construction and viaduct demolition continues into 2016."