Erica C. Barnett has a post on Metro cutting the hours of the 99.
However, the low ridership is a bit of a Catch-22. Before Metro eliminated the streetcar, ridership on the corridor was dramatically higher than it is today—about 404,000 trips a year in 2003, compared to about 252,000 in 2010 (and 204,000 in 2009). The reason, probably, is twofold: First, Metro cut service on the route from every 15 minutes to every 30, making the faux-”streetcar” less reliable and convenient. Second, and perhaps more importantly: People like riding streetcars—and buses painted like streetcars don’t fool anyone.
Fair enough, and as good an argument for rail as anything. The bus gets stuck in traffic and traffic grinds to a halt on rainy days down there, probably more now with construction. But there’s another reason that Erica doesn’t mention, and that’s that the 99 only runs one way. So it makes a circle, going South along the waterfront, then across Pioneer Square through the ID, and then back North up First Ave.
If this were a commuter route going from the suburbs downtown, a few blocks wouldn’t be a big deal. But if you’re a tourist and you get off the bus anywhere other than the ID, you’re not going to catch it close to where you got off. Also, the route to the sculpture park doesn’t go by the waterfront, so you can’t get off for a bit, look at the aquarium or whatever and then hop back on.
Still, I’ve always pictured it as potentially a great route, even a bus route. If it ran every 15 (or dare to dream 10) minutes each way a lot of people, not just tourists, would use it. As it is, poorly thought out and underfunded, it doesn’t do much.
Gingrich is plunging in the polls like a guy bungee-jumping off a 70-foot-high bridge on a 90-foot-long bungee cord. (The Darwin Awards say some guy actually did that.)
Paul: 23% today, 18% two weeks ago
Romney: 20% today, 16% two weeks ago
Gingrich: 14% today, 27% two weeks ago
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nig...../#45729182
Roger Rabbit Commentary: The millions other GOP candidates spent on attack ads to knock Gingrich off his pedestal is money they can’t use against Democrats, ha! ha!
Meh, dead link.
@ RR
Conservatism can never really find success in this country. Especially blathering puddles of ‘torum like Newtie-pie.
This is why. The man is a complete fascist. But we already knew that. I still do not understand how this man was able to complete a Ph.D. It is obvious that he has zero knowledge of how this country is supposed to function.
Nixon openly expressed his desire to be a King. Reagan just did it, but smiled a lot and made stupid jokes. Bush 1st was too much of an asshole and lasted only one term before people realized what a tool the man was. Bush 2nd was a drooling, drunken imbecile who couldn’t see beyond his own nose. Newt? He’s a seriously deranged individual. But this seems to be the new “normal” amongst GOP candidates. Instead of trying to sound rational, and make real attempts to be convincing, they are all just trying to out-crazy each other. It’s all about keeping up with the jonesers.
Lunatics, all of them.
# 2: A lady in our office came from Korea (with her parents, as an 18 year-old). She’s now an American citizen, with an advanced degree and smart as a whip.
This morning she said she had been watching the Republican debates, and asked me to explain how a significant number of Americans could be so dumb as to vote for any of them. I had no answer.
Wtf do any of these posts have to do with metro bus routes?
#4 RHP We need more intelligent informed American voters such as your office co-worker.
A bus route that stops at the aquarium and other tourist destinations on the waterfront sounds ideal. But is it practical? Imagine the schedule at the height of summer tourism and the right lane tied up for boarding and departure. Loads of tourists and the bus crawling along tying up traffic. You know how awful it is to be driving and be stuck behind a bus loading and unloading passengers? I sympathize but I also was a bus passenger for nearly 30 years of my daily office commute. I wouldn’t wish Metro on anyone :) Sorry.