Everyone knows the secret is to extend it all over the city at great expense, and stop investing in roads. At some point, 50-70 years from now, the streets will be so unbearable that your irate citizenry will be forced to ride your little toy no matter how much they hate it.

And then, bingo: You've got Liveability!

I think streetcars will cycle back out of favor in 10 to 20 years. Automobile and bicycle technology is evolving towards electric power. Automobiles also look to go small and lighter. There's also sequeways which are beginning to show up in like parking lots, as part of security units. These electric vehicles have the potential to cut gasoline consumption in half and Co2 too boot from today's levels.
They also overcome one of the drawbacks to wind energy farms, namely, lack of storage when the wind is blowing - for use when the wind ain't blowing.

Americans and others have an innovative nature despite the overburdensome central government planner crowd.

I'm with you Bob. We can't improve cars fast enough. We have to reduce the impact of the average car.

But the idea that this nation (especially this nation) will not still love its cars 100 years from now is a fantasy. Cars aren't going anywhere, so let's improve them, and not rely on fantasy policies.

That's one SLUT the people don't want to ride.

Even better...you can ride the SLUT to Hooters...

http://blog.oregonlive.com/nwheadlines/2008/01/oh_the_irony_seattles_new_stre.html

Way off topic, but who cares ...

Did anyone notice that the Mall 205 Hooters is gone?

Everyone knows that the solution to a problematic slut is an even larger slut.

Been gone for sometime George.

MHW

Background:

This trolly is also called the South Lake Union Tram, hence: SLUT.

It is yet another glorious example of the fablous success of the streetcars that Sam the Tram wants to put all over Portland.

thanks
JK

"Phelps said Seattle should consider free rides.

"What if they could triple or quadruple their ridership?" he said."

Yeah, and if they made all the food in a grocery store free, they would have a lot more customers. THAT is the type of thinking that continues to pour taxpayer money down black holes like trams, streetcars and light rail; and the voters act like sheep (witness Sam-the-crook being elected as mayor).

"Phelps said Seattle should consider free rides."

Two thoughts come to mind.

First, low fares probably aren't the problem. As the article states, fares only cover about 14 percent of operating costs (and no capital costs). The line is already about as close to free as Seattle can make it. The article also mentions that the Tacoma Link, which is free (and about twice as long), attracts fewer than 3,000 boardings per day.

Second, making the line free invites a host of other problems. Free transit systems are a magnet for illicit activity.