Seattle’s S.L.U.T. streetcar causing a stir

[Oracle of Delphi]

SEATTLE - Officially, it’s the South Lake Union Streetcar. But in the neighborhood where the new line runs, it’s called the South Lake Union Trolley — or, the S.L.U.T.

At Kapow! Coffee, a shop in the old Cascade neighborhood, 100 T-shirts bearing the words “Ride the S.L.U.T.” sold out in days, and another 100 are on order.

“We’re welcoming the S.L.U.T. into the neighborhood,” said Jerry Johnson, 29, a part-time barista.

Some claim — incorrectly, according to representatives of Vulcan Inc., the company that is developing the area — that South Lake Union Trolley was the original name and that it was changed when officials belatedly realized the acronym.

The $50.5 million project should be completed with streetcars running in December. Underlying the lighthearted opposition, however, is resentment over changes in the old working-class neighborhood.

“There was a meeting with representatives from the city several years ago,” Johnson recalled.

“They asked us, ‘What we could do for you?’ Most people raised their hands and said, ‘Affordable housing,”’ he said. “Then the people from the city huddled together — ‘whisper, whisper, whisper’ — and they said, ‘How about a trolley?”’

Since then, Cascade has been ignored in Vulcan brochures that lump the neighborhood together with Denny Park and Denny Triangle under the term South Lake Union. With the streetcar, said Don Clifton, a Cascade resident, “We learned how fun it is to change the name of things.”

Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20841428/

[zhawk]

I saw this on the news a few days ago and they were calling it a 'trolley'. The change to streetcar came pretty quickly though.

Hmmm, maybe I should check out how much it costs to ride the S.L.U.T. and how long the ride lasts.

[Flybrian]

I heard Ven has been riding the S.L.U.T. for quite some time, hence his absence. He told me its not the best ride he's gotten, but that its big and slow and likes to take its time. Also, he rides the S.L.U.T. with others.

[Screaming Trees]

Here in Fredericksburg when they announced plans for a public transportation system, they were taking suggestions from the public for the name.

The most popular was Fredericksburg Area Rapid Trasit or F.A.R.T. The city however settled on Fred.

Edited September 22, 2007 by Screaming Trees

[Sixty8panther]

Yo' momma is like a Union Trolley... everyone's had a ride!

[VenSeattle]

I heard Ven has been riding the S.L.U.T. for quite some time, hence his absence. He told me its not the best ride he's gotten, but that its big and slow and likes to take its time. Also, he rides the S.L.U.T. with others.

You B^%@&!

There's hardly any opposition with the urban development for South Lake Union or the Street Car. The Street car is actually being subsidized BY THE BUSINESSES (happily too) that the Street Car will pass by... Gee... that's not what I call opposition.

Mind you, there is some irritation because Seattle is once again going in several different directions with mass transit: Monorail, then light rail, now the trolley expansion (we have a street trolley that runs along the waterfront, but the two will not be connected... initially that is.) There is talk of expanding the SLUT if it's very successful... which upsets some who wish for a single mass transit solution. My opinion is if the businesses impacted are paying for it, then who really has the right to complain?

The "Cascade" neighborhood they mention isn't being ignored at all. They have received fixed-cost apartment buildings as well as upscale condos & apartments. It's possible they're just bitter that the adjacent South Lake Union development project is outshining their own renaissance (believe me, the South Lake Union project is HUGE. Picture most of an entire section of downtown being leveled and/or renovated all at once.) It shouldn't upset the Cascade neighborhood though. The neighborhoods will be hardly distinguishable from each other if you didn't know which side of the street determined the boundaries. This is due to all the new construction in both neighborhoods. Cascade will benefit ten fold by all the new employment opportunities that will be moving into South Lake Union. Microsoft is one of the companies looking at office space (I believe two or thee buildings in that area.) That alone will increase demand because NO ONE will want to cross Lake Washington once construction on the new 520 bridge begins.

It's actually amazing all of the construction going on in the Seattle/Bellevue area. Downtown Seattle & Downtown Bellevue have dozens of high-rises going up.

Practically all of the major retail districts in Bellevue & Seattle area are undergoing complete renovations -

Bellevue: Factoria Mall, Crossroads Mall, and Overlake (shared with Redmond) will all be completely overhauled over the next several years. Bellevue just rezoned them for mid-rise construction which will allow mixed-use & multi-use development within the shopping centers itself. Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and Lincoln Square all compliment each other already in Downtown Bellevue. Just wait until Neiman Marcus opens up at a new multi-high-rise development down the street, The Bravern. That will probably push Bellevue Square to finally lure Saks 5th Avenue to take an anchor position (probably pushing out JC Penney in the process.)

Seattle Area: NorthGate Mall, SouthCenter Mall, Alderwood Mall are all going through unbelievable expansions right now. University Village & Pacific Place have already gone through their makeovers. WestLake Center is really the only shopping center that could use renovating. The rest in downtown are fine.

Okay... I'll quit rambling... Back to talking about sluts.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I'm not a slut, I'm a whore!

[VenSeattle]

I'm not a slut, I'm a whore!

I've always preferred the term promiscuous myself.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I've always preferred the term promiscuous myself.

That's a hard term for someone whos native language is German!

[Robert Hall]

I'm not a slut, I'm a whore!

I prefer the term contractor or consultant..

[trinacriabob]

Okay... I'll quit rambling... Back to talking about sluts.

Amazing that there is ANYBODY in Seattle who takes offense to this streetcar acronym. It's great, but then, it's typical Seattle where some uptight/smug a-holes can't laugh at themselves. You wouldn't even begin to believe the contortions done with MARTA....Atlanta's fixed rail subway type system.

Yep, Seattle doesn't get it. The biggest problem is the 520 bridge which should have 3 lanes + 1 HOV lane in EACH direction. It's inexcusable. Having commuted over it at least 1000 times, there is enough right of way to pull this off through the "rich neighborhood" that opposes it. Then there should be a rail line (light, heavy, I don't care) across one of the two floating bridges with some rail artery up the East Side.

Is Sounder even running? I think so. The rail into the airport is a good start but it's wimpy. It doesn't even go to Northgate as the north terminus. By contrast, it is amazing how much rail transit capacity Portland has been adding, with a new north-south line up the east side coming by September 2009.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Amazing that there is ANYBODY in Seattle who takes offense to this streetcar acronym. It's great, but then, it's typical Seattle where some uptight/smug a-holes can't laugh at themselves. You wouldn't even begin to believe the contortions done with MARTA....Atlanta's fixed rail subway type system.

Yep, Seattle doesn't get it. The biggest problem is the 520 bridge which should have 3 lanes + 1 HOV lane in EACH direction. It's inexcusable. Having commuted over it at least 1000 times, there is enough right of way to pull this off through the "rich neighborhood" that opposes it. Then there should be a rail line (light, heavy, I don't care) across one of the two floating bridges with some rail artery up the East Side.

Is Sounder even running? I think so. The rail into the airport is a good start but it's wimpy. It doesn't even go to Northgate as the north terminus. By contrast, it is amazing how much rail transit capacity Portland has been adding, with a new north-south line up the east side coming by September 2009.

Why even bother, the whole west coast is going to slip into the sea when the next big quake hits.

That's why I am buying property in Nevada, so I can have beach front. :AH-HA_wink:

[FAPTurbo]

I prefer the term contractor or consultant..

Maybe I read too much Dilbert, but that's making me LOL.

[VenSeattle]

Amazing that there is ANYBODY in Seattle who takes offense to this streetcar acronym. It's great, but then, it's typical Seattle where some uptight/smug a-holes can't laugh at themselves. You wouldn't even begin to believe the contortions done with MARTA....Atlanta's fixed rail subway type system.

Yep, Seattle doesn't get it. The biggest problem is the 520 bridge which should have 3 lanes + 1 HOV lane in EACH direction. It's inexcusable. Having commuted over it at least 1000 times, there is enough right of way to pull this off through the "rich neighborhood" that opposes it. Then there should be a rail line (light, heavy, I don't care) across one of the two floating bridges with some rail artery up the East Side.

Is Sounder even running? I think so. The rail into the airport is a good start but it's wimpy. It doesn't even go to Northgate as the north terminus. By contrast, it is amazing how much rail transit capacity Portland has been adding, with a new north-south line up the east side coming by September 2009.

Very True... Seattle is pretty good at not taking itself too seriously... most people are laughing about it. I've yet to speak to anyone offended over the SLUT.

As for 520... Well, Seattle and the Eastside compromised on a new 6-lane bridge that will be designed to support future expansion of mass transit (they won't commit to saying Light Rail, but we know that's what they're referring to.) They will be "capping" the highway in those mentioned rich neighborhoods in Seattle. Here's a link to all you'll want to know about it. The simulation videos are interesting also. See Current Plans for specifics.

The next branch of the Light rail will be from Westlake Center to Husky Stadium in the U District (right at 520.) Perfect for the 520 project huh? Speaking of Northgate and lightrail... :AH-HA_wink: ? Take a look!

Bellevue and Redmond are already finalizing plans for light rail and transit stations. Here's a link to Bellevue's website and the Bel-Red Corridor project. All of this is happening between my house and Downtown Bellevue... I can't wait to see my property value once it's finished.

We initially expect the light rail to pass across I90 Bridge. Eventually to come full circle on the SR520 Bridge. That's the perfect case scenario IMO. I believe the building blocks to kick off this initiative will be on this November's ballot. If gas prices continue to climb and break $4, it's an easy shoe in for approval.

The Sounder is alive and well. I have friends who live near Marysville that drive into Everett and commute down to work each day by the Sounder. When I worked in SODO, several people in my office took the train also.

I use another train line pretty often, The Amtrak Cascades. In fact, I'm taking it down to Portland next weekend to hang out with friends just for fun. My company also uses it to go between our satellite office up here and our divisional office in Portland. It's only 4 hours and cheaper than driving or flying (around $30 each way) without any of the stress getting there and finding parking afterwards. Hardly any time is lost since you can work on the train while in between offices.

[Robert Hall]

That Cascades train route looks fun...I've taken long-distance rail trips in Europe, but never in the US. I want to take the California Zephyr sometime--from Denver to Emeryville, Ca. I have friends in Oakland, so this would be a fun way to go out to visit (not as cheap as flying Southwest, but more fun).

Edited September 22, 2007 by moltar

[zhawk]

If I remember correctly, the Sounder has runs from Tacoma to Everett. I know there are Sounders in Tacoma but I don't know all of the routes.

There is talk about expanding it down to Olympia.

I've seen attempts at fixing the traffic flow around Seattle but then I've also seen our governor trying to dictate exactly how Seattle will work. And that is usually the problem, most of the people here chuckle at the SLUT but the politicians are aghast. We could fix a lot of our problems here in Washington if only the people we hire to run this state would do their job, set priorities, and use the money we give them wisely (OK, I know that's a pipe dream)

[K.C.]

<tongueincheek>

Common phrases heard in Seattle where no one bats an eye:

"Hop on the SLUT, she'll take you anywhere you wanna go."

"We're taking the SLUT to the Needle."

"The SLUT is really packed today."

"You want to avoid the SLUT during rush hour when everyone is on her."

"How much does it cost to ride the SLUT?"

"They are already raised SLUT fairs!"

I have a good friend that lives in Seattle. I wonder if he's ridden the SLUT yet? Hmmmm

</tongueincheek>

Edited September 23, 2007 by K.C.