I watched a video about the rail link and it’s plan to make it up here. (Check out the site and video here) It’s very promising. I love the idea of a 28 minute trip to downtown Seattle where I don’t have any concerns about parking. I love this future. Especially since I really don’t see leaving South Snohomish county. Ever. Well, vacations and such, but I live living here, my family is here, friends, etc. Hard to conceive of living anywhere else.
That really amuses me. When I joined the Navy all those decades ago, my goal was to get as far away as possible. And returning was not on my mind. The Navy brought me back, to Subbase Bangor, and I’ve remained in western Washington since.
Post Navy, I lived for about 10 years in downtown Seattle. Then in Bothell, then Edmonds and now Lynnwood. I’m a few hundred feet from my parents house. Now. I love it. My son goes to my old middle school, a few staffers are connected to my history. My connection to this place is pretty deep and pretty rich.
Back a decade or two ago, my fellow citizens failed as a progressive, proactive community and we didn’t pass a pretty aggressive transportation package. That one had aggressive rail deployment. We choked on the price tag and we fell behind our issues. I’m pleased to see the way they’re using light rail, getting the trolleys out of the traffic flow. To some degree.
I’m afraid heavy traffic is here to stay. These solutions can really make a dent in that. But only some. I wonder, hope that the next time we have the opportunity to proactively tackle these issues, we have enough foresight to mice forward. Being ahead is immensely preferable to behind.