Solution to Seattle traffic (apartment, how much, disposing)

[seakid]

The solution to all traffic mess in Seattle:

(1) Increase speed limit to 100 mi/hr
(2) Minimum speed limit to 50mi/hr
(3) Throw off the SUV's/trucks/Escalades/hummers into the numerous lakes we have around here
(4) Dissolve the stupid HOV lane that causes traffic congestion, really it does

[seattlenextyear]

If you had enough SUVs in the lake, they'd fill up the lake and you could drive right across it. Water displacement might be an issue though.

[tada]

I don't know whether liberals would like throwing SUVs in the lake. Sure, we're getting rid of SUVs, but polluting the water and killing sea life too. Eventually SUVs aren't going to be worth their weight in scrap metal though, so people might do that anyway.

Better solution: Convince people not to move here. Less people = less traffic.

[seakid]

Haha, when I meant throwing them off in the lakes, I meant disposing them, not literally :P ... and yeah less people = less traffic

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by tada

I don't know whether liberals would like throwing SUVs in the lake. Sure, we're getting rid of SUVs, but polluting the water and killing sea life too. Eventually SUVs aren't going to be worth their weight in scrap metal though, so people might do that anyway.

Better solution: Convince people not to move here. Less people = less traffic.

An even better solution would be to build better mass transit, encourage people to use that mass transit, put a toll on all the freeways, and discourage the use of the private automobile for commuting purposes.

[seakid]

That's true, and burn all the SUV's; I'd so love that to happen, all the Ford f-250's, and the Escalades, woah, I'd be cheering all over the place!

[jinj]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

An even better solution would be to build better mass transit, encourage people to use that mass transit, put a toll on all the freeways, and discourage the use of the private automobile for commuting purposes.

There are no freeways, there are highways which people pay taxes to use, I know I do.

Without people having private cars and paying the gas tax, there would no money to pay for the terrible bus system we have and no money to pay for sound transit, which is an even worse pile of junk.

Does the bus system cover the county? Nope, not even close. When you have to walk 10 miles to a bus stop, see how much you will use it, assuming its not a national holiday, then walk 25 miles to the nearest bus stop. Close it down.

The HOV lanes should be got rid of, they increase pollution. Why should a mother with a mini van full of children be allowed to use it? None of the children can drive, how is that helping congestion?

90% of the bus cost is paid by taxes. Increase the bus ticket to $15 and see how many people use them.

[seattlenextyear]

"Does the bus system cover the county? Nope, not even close. When you have to walk 10 miles to a bus stop, see how much you will use it, assuming its not a national holiday, then walk 25 miles to the nearest bus stop. Close it down."

If you want to use public transit to get to work, you have to live near a busline. When we chose our last apartment, we specifically chose it to minimize our commutes: mine by a 5 minute walk to a bus stop, his by car. We didn't pick a place 10 miles from the nearest busline and expect the city to add a new busline to accomodate us. It would be impossible and impractical for a bus system to cover every possible point in the city.

[tada]

Nearest bus stop to me is 10 miles, which is already halfway to most places I go...

Seattle needs a subway system. That's one of the things I really love about Tokyo. You're never far from a subway station, and the trains come every 3-4 minutes. I also found it much easier to navigate. I could basically get on at any station and find my way to any other.

[pwright1]

Live near public transportation. Do not move to these far out suburbs and then complain about traffic. Please!!