Comments on: Funding Critical For Continued Growth, Say Area Mayors http://www.tukwilablog.com/2009/07/10/funding-critical-for-continued-growth-say-area-mayors/ 100 Years In The Making. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:41:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: News Roundup: 4 Days - Seattle Transit Blog http://www.tukwilablog.com/2009/07/10/funding-critical-for-continued-growth-say-area-mayors/comment-page-1/#comment-33 News Roundup: 4 Days - Seattle Transit Blog Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:03:27 +0000 http://www.tukwilablog.com/?p=447#comment-33 [...] cities of Tukwila and Seatac start to realize they have a big asset there.  Better late than never, [...] [...] cities of Tukwila and Seatac start to realize they have a big asset there.  Better late than never, [...]

]]> By: Ran Loot http://www.tukwilablog.com/2009/07/10/funding-critical-for-continued-growth-say-area-mayors/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Ran Loot Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:54:49 +0000 http://www.tukwilablog.com/?p=447#comment-30 The "new" community and density light rail offers is great for saving trees. As a person who grew up near the forest by Lindbergh High and the sweeping farm lands of Tukwila, Kent and Auburn (1970's), I was devastated when I came back to visit after moving away. Urban sprawl and automobiles not only isolate people, it helps with our nation's obesity problem because the farthest anyone walks is from their couch to their car, then from their car to their office chair. I now live in Phoenix where urban sprawl has been paramount for the last 10 years. But six months ago when the light rail opened, I saw a something that gave me hope for our open lands and communities - new towers and buildings started popping up all around the new train stations, and more than 1 million trips were taken in the month of April! It is not a new phenomenon either. I saw the same thing happen in Portland, Oregon some time after the west line opened in 1999. Which, incidentally, is when I first decided to promote public transportation with my "Train Business Directory." After 100 years of automobile dominance, I find it refreshing to see the "street car" make a come back! The “new” community and density light rail offers is great for saving trees. As a person who grew up near the forest by Lindbergh High and the sweeping farm lands of Tukwila, Kent and Auburn (1970’s), I was devastated when I came back to visit after moving away.

Urban sprawl and automobiles not only isolate people, it helps with our nation’s obesity problem because the farthest anyone walks is from their couch to their car, then from their car to their office chair.

I now live in Phoenix where urban sprawl has been paramount for the last 10 years. But six months ago when the light rail opened, I saw a something that gave me hope for our open lands and communities – new towers and buildings started popping up all around the new train stations, and more than 1 million trips were taken in the month of April!

It is not a new phenomenon either. I saw the same thing happen in Portland, Oregon some time after the west line opened in 1999. Which, incidentally, is when I first decided to promote public transportation with my “Train Business Directory.”

After 100 years of automobile dominance, I find it refreshing to see the “street car” make a come back!

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