WEDNESDAY: West Seattle SkyLink @ District 1 Community Network

| Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news

You’re invited to the District 1 Community Network‘s first meeting of 2021, 7 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, January 6th) online. The coalition of community advocates usually focuses on a variety of priorities, but this agenda also includes one presentation, the recently relaunched gondola-transit concept West Seattle SkyLink. We talked recently with its supporters, who believe gondolas could get people across the Duwamish River more cheaply and simply than light rail, especially with Sound Transit facing funding shortfalls and schedule realignment. If you’re interested in attending, connection and call-in information is in our calendar listing.

Derek January 5, 2021 (11:46 pm)

Please no more about this glorified ski lift idea. It would make the beautiful Elliot Bay so ugly! Focus on light rail and the bridge!

walnutave January 6, 2021 (8:39 am)

Why not consider all three? West Seattle is only going to continue to grow, and gondolas are a legitimate form of transportation in hilly terrain. It certainly will not be any uglier/invasive than some of the light rail alignments being proposed. My only concern would be wind closures during the winter months when we have storms.
KAS January 6, 2021 (10:28 am)

Laughable that it would be more unsightly than the elevated light rail!

Dennis January 6, 2021 (9:40 am)

Are cement pillars and light rail guideways that are 150 feet above the road surface where SW Genesee St. crosses Long Fellow Creek going to be attractive? This is higher that the existing high-rise West Seattle bridge. This is what one light rail routing alternative proposes. Everyone needs to fully understand the impacts of 5 years of light rail construction on our densely developed West Seattle infrastructure. The gondola provides a transportation system that has minimal construction impacts, can be built quickly, and provides the projected needs for transportation capacity. All we ask is for open minds. Understand the timelines, impacts on our community, and educate yourselves on the solutions being offered. I agree; we need a transportation solution. It would be wonderful if a commuter transportation system was operational before 2031, the currently projected date for light rail operations to begin from West Seattle to SODO and 2036 before light rail from West Seattle extends beyond SODO.

Marfaun January 6, 2021 (2:27 pm)

Sound Transit looked at gondolas as a high capacity transit (HCT) option in its 2014 multi-mode study, and state law (RCW 84.104.015) supports using gondolas as HCT to connect off-spine areas like West Seattle, with light rail trunk lines. It’s a proven urban transit option used successfully worldwide. We can support Sound Transit’s goals to deliver a commuter line that connects W Seattle with SODO and I.D. light rail lines, ahead of schedule and below budget, by building a gondola system.

Wilks January 7, 2021 (3:35 pm)

I’m not sure why this is a topic of conversation instead of the much faster and affordable option of simply adding increased bus capacity. Bus rapid transit lanes or even simply just increasing the number of buses with priority road access could handle much of the transportation need at a fraction of the cost. Ideally combined with more protected bike lanes :).

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