Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 9d

That's still makeable, you would just need truckloads of more money and it still doesn't benefit West Seattle or whoosh downtowners fast to the airport.

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 9d

The C has been a problem throughout its 13-year history. The asphalt breaks up within about 1 year and has undergone many emergency replacements. (Bus weight appx 45k lbs, or 3,200x the force of a sedan.) A whole lot of 1960s-70s. panels on the backstreets have also been redone in the 2010s-20s.

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 9d

Seattle mostly puts concrete at stops, but there are many hills where it's needed to absorb extra bus-axle forces, and then 3rd Avenue where hundreds of buses pound it daily. (Like David L says!)

After light rail shutdowns frustrate riders, Sound Transit plans more light rail maintenance closures

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 9d

This work is to start during late October.

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 9d

He revealed this initiative in @seattletimes interview. Regular work is needed to prevent surprise breakdowns. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

After a frustrating blockage just last month, Sound Transit cut off light rail service both Saturday and Monday, because of ventilation system flaws.

www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 10d

‘Emergency’ World Naked Bike Ride planned in Portland

Organizers of the World Naked Bike Ride said they’re planning to protest the Trump administration’s decision to send 200 National Guard troops to Portland.

Seattle police clear CHOP protest zone

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 11d

Sam predominantly uses public transit.

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 12d

Trump is absolutely wrong on the facts. The "CHAZ/CHOP" protest zone was dispersed by Seattle's local police 7/1/2020 without any federal role. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

The Seattle Police Department swept into CHOP early Wednesday with heavily equipped officers and tactical vehicles to clear out the Capitol Hill protest zone.

Cascade PBS workers call newsroom cut unnecessary, ask for support

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 14d

Large ridership day @soundtransit. I've had dispatch scanner on six hours and they're now trying to sync with Sounders fans. Some packed trains, lots of quick spot delays, extra trains deployed, no blockage alerts. "Bend but not break" seems like a theme. How's your ride?

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 14d

TIL that the CEO of @cascadepbs.bsky.social is paid more than the CEO of @soundtransit. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild members say Cascade PBS is making the wrong choice by shutting down its online news writing rather than trying to sustain it.

A former Seattle Times artist has created a worldwide movement

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The Seattle Times @seattletimes.com · 15d

A remarkable feat by this Seattle-area artist: His urban sketchers group went from 17 members in 2009 to 299,000 worldwide, in 514 cities and more than 70 countries.

A remarkable feat by this Seattle-area artist: His urban sketchers group went from 17 members in 2009 to 299,000 worldwide, in 514 cities and more than 70 countries.

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 17d

"Saving the Planet" is fine. It gives off Superman-movie vibes and if people feel like a caped hero when lowering carbon, so much the better.

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Jeong Park @jeongpark.bsky.social · 19d

Today was a sad day in Seattle journalism. As someone who read and followed Cascade PBS's work every day (for my job), they produced unique and compelling work week in and week out. This will be a big loss...

Megan Burbank @meganburbank.bsky.social · 19d

Today, I was laid off from Cascade PBS along with my entire team and most of the newsroom. I'll have more to say, but I have loved my time as news editor alongside some of the best journalists I have ever worked with. Every time a newsroom closes, stories go with it. The silence that follows is loud

KUOW Public Radio @kuow.org · 20d

The move, attributed to the loss of federal funding for public media, marks the layoffs of 17 staffers and the creation of three new positions.

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 18d

There are some county proposals for extra FIFA transit service, that you'll run across before much longer.

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 18d

Old enough to remember the 2009 county executive race where Dow Constantine said he wanted to gradually make Metro cashless.

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Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · 18d

You guys, the proposed Metro budget invests in TROLLEYBUSES!

$500 for trolley utilization planning and $1.6 million to implement that planning

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 18d

Suburbanization of poverty is certainly happening here too. We have a new line coming to underserved, low income suburbs whose ridership might be weak. On the other hand, our suburbs are full of apartment clusters with denser populations than much of Seattle.

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 19d

We should all bow down to Vancouver, which has run a 90k BRT line for many years, to be replaced by a UBC subway.

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 19d

Let's touch base in 15 years. MPLS costs are much lower, of course, but even a 2,200-rider BRT line here in Seattle would be considered a failure, similar to the scorn for our 3,000-rider South Lake Union streetcar. Also, while I respect your logic, it assumes wasting 15 years is okay.

Riding the Gold Line: Nearly empty buses the norm

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 19d

It's all about the ridership and 1,400 isn't good. Minneapolis:

Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 19d

After six months in operation, the Gold Line BRT project running from St. Paul to the east is averaging about 1400 riders a day.

The project cost $500m to build. Ridership will likely improve once it’s extended to Minneapolis in 2027, but these are rough numbers so far.

Exactly six months into the operation of the east metro’s first rapid bus service known as the Gold Line, ridership is struggling to meet even Metro Transit’s most conservative projections.

kstp.com

www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 19d

Cascade PBS slashes Seattle newsroom, citing federal cuts

Formed in 2015 by the merger of KCTS 9 TV and Crosscut, Cascade PBS will continue making video programs but will stop making "long-form written journalism."

mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 22d

Seattle is the #8 U.S. transit market by monthly ridership, and after that, it really drops off.

Paying less for public transit buses | Brookings

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Jarrett Walker @humantransit.bsky.social · 25d

Great to see scholars digging into the high cost of purchasing public transit buses in the US.

www.brookings.edu/articles/pay...

This paper proposes three sets of recommendations to reduce the cost of procuring transit buses in America.

www.brookings.edu

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mclindblom.bsky.social @mclindblom.bsky.social · 25d

Enumclaw and Buckley residents take to their feet and bikes to cross a new trail bridge, while their White River highway bridge is broken. Traffic Lab reporter @nickdeshais.bsky.social finds people trying creative workarounds. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Bridge shutdown creates ‘best dead end in PNW’ as towns go extra mile to connect

Life's a little different now and the ways of getting around more creative since a trail bridge became a lifeline between these Western Washington communities.